Games #48
#5 Lindenwood (23-23, 14-12 OVC)
vs. #8 UT Martin (16-30, 8-17 OVC)
Game Information:
Dates: Wednesday, May 7th - Saturday, May 10th
Location: Peoria, Ill.
Venue: Louisville Slugger Sports Complex
Start Time: 12:30 p.m. CT (Wed.)
All-Time Series: 3-6
Last Meeting: W, 3-2
Links:
Live Stats: Link
Watch: Link
On-Tap
Lindenwood softball starts their 2025 post-season journey at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships as the number five seed and will battle #8 UT Martin during the opening round of the tournament. The first two games of the Championships will be single elimination. The winner between the Lions and Skyhawks will advance to the double-elimination portion of the bracket.
Previously this season, Lindenwood took two out of three games on the road at UT Martin including a 10-5 win in game one of the series.
Jolie McMinn had a great weekend against UT Martin posting a team-high six RBI across three games.
Avery Wapp posted a 2.62 ERA in two games while posting 12 strikeouts. The Skyhawks do hold the all-time series lead over LU with a 6-3 record. Lindenwood is also 0-2 at the OVC Tournament during their first two Division I season.
The OVC Championships will be held in Peoria, Ill. at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex for the second season in a row. The winner of this game will move on to take on #4 Southern Indiana on Wednesday, May 7th at 5:30 p.m. CT. For more information on the OVC Championships go to the following
link.
Southern Indiana Recap
Lindenwood ended their 2025 regular season with two losses on the road at Southern Indiana. After dropping the first game by a final score of 3-2, the second and third games were scheduled as a double header but due to rain the teams only managed to play one five inning game in which USI won 3-2.
Tori Hatton went 3-5 in two games posting a double and a home run while adding two RBI.
Avery Wapp pitched in both games posting a 1.11 ERA in 6.1 innings of work while striking out 10 Screaming Eagles.
OVC Preseason Poll
The Redhawks of Southeast Missouri State were selected as the 2025 Preseason favorite, garnering nine first-place votes and finishing with 152 points after claiming the OVC Tournament Championship last season. They were followed by Southern Indiana who received six first-place votes (140 points) and 2024 OVC Regular Season Champion Eastern Illinois with five first-place votes (139 points).
Tennessee State follows the top three ranking fourth with 107 points followed by Tennessee Tech (82), Lindenwood (80), UT Martin (74), SIUE (73), Morehead State (30) and Western Illinois (23). There are a total of 27 conference games this season with each team playing the other schools three times.
2025 Statistical Leaders
Batting Average:
Nicole Henson (.354)
Hits:
Jolie McMinn (37)
RBI: McMinn (31)
ERA:
Avery Wapp (2.44)
Strikeouts: Wapp (128)
Head Coach Erin Brown
Erin Brown is entering her fourth season as the head coach of the Lindenwood softball team in 2025.
Brown led the Lions to an OVC Tournament appearance after guiding Lindenwood to a 25-25 record. Lindenwood had an impressive home record in 2024 going 12-5 at Lou Brock Sports Complex.
Irelynn West earned First Team All-conference honors while
Amanda Weyh earned Second Team. Under Brown, the Lions swept cross-town rivals Saint Louis in two games during a home-and-home series. The Lions went 13-14 in OVC play. Brown also coached five CSC Academic All-District players.
In 2023, the Lions went 16-32, including an 8-15 mark against OVC competition. Lindenwood finished with a winning record at home (12-10) and swept eventual conference champion Eastern Illinois late in the year at Lou Brock Sports Complex.
Irelynn West and
Dallis Darnell earned all-conference honors with West being a second-team selection and Darnell being named to the all-newcomer team.
Up Next
The winner between Lindenwood and UT Martin will move on in the OVC Tournament to take on Southern Indiana at 5:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday. For more information on Lindenwood softball go to lindenwoodlions.com.
