Eastern Illinois used a 5-2 victory in the 'if needed' game to claim the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference Softball Championsip. The Panthers won for their second consecutive season and will represent the OVC at the NCAA tournament.
For the third consecutive year the tournament will be held at the
Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, Illinois. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.
GAME 12: #4 Lindenwood 5, #1 Eastern Illinois 0
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GAME 13: #1 Eastern Illinois 5, #4 Lindenwood 2
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*All Times CT
#4 LINDENWOOD 5, #1 EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
#1 EASTERN ILLINOIS 5, #4 LINDENWOOD 2
PEORIA, Ill. - The Lindenwood Softball team (32-24, 17-10 OVC) went as far as they possibly could on Saturday in the OVC Tournament Championship game, but ultimately fell in game two after winning the opening game of the day by a score of 5-0.
Kylee Crowder started off the day by driving in the first run of the opening game on an RBI single to left field that scored Madisen Noll who led off the game with a single to right field. Ryleigh Owens got the start in the circle against the Panthers, and held EIU in check allowing one hit over 2.2 innings pitched as the Lions held a 1-0 lead while Owens was in the circle. Lindenwood extended their lead in the fifth on Crowder's second hit of the game with an RBI infield single that scored Anna Sanders on a heads up base running play to extend the lead to 2-0. One inning later, Danielle Franz put the game out of reach with a two-run home run to left field to make it 4-0, and Tori Hatton added on to the lead even further with an RBI single up the middle to make it a 5-0 ball game. Samantha Roulanaitis would replace Owens in the third inning and would throw the final 4.1 innings where she didn't allow a single run on two hits and struck out four batters to keep the Lions season alive and advance to the winner-take-all game.
Eastern Illinois softball needed the if-necessary game on Saturday for the second straight year to capture the Panthers second straight Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship. EIU won 5-2 over Lindenwood.
In the championship game, Rylan Gick started the game before giving way to Karlie McKenzie (13-9) to close out the game with four scoreless innings of work. With the win EIU improved to 36-21. Lindenwood wraps up its season at 32-24.
McKenzie was named the OVC Tournament MVP for the second straight year joined by Abbi Hatton, Sophia Olman and Bryanna French on the OVC All-Tournament team.
The Lions jumped on top in the bottom of the first with a Kylee Crowder RBI single to left field.
EIU took a 2-1 lead in the second inning, scoring its first run on the first of five Lindenwood errors in the game before a Chloe Wamboldt RBI.
Crowder tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third driving in her second run of the game as she went 2-for-4. Tori Hatton also finished the second game with two hits for the Lions.
EIU took its final lead with Viola Smith's infield RBI which scored Mo Hance from third in the fourth. Wamboldt added her second RBI later in the inning. The Panthers final run was delivered with a Lizzie Stiverson sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Hance was the lone EIU player with multiple hits while also scoring two runs. Lexie Griffin also scored twice.
Ava Risum (3-6) suffered the loss in relief for Lindenwood.
2026 OVC Softball All-Tournament Team
Karlie McKenzie, Eastern Illinois (MVP)
Bryanna French, Eastern Illinois
Abbi Hatton, Eastern Illinois
Sophia Olman, Eastern Illinois
Kylee Crowder, Lindenwood
Tori Hatton, Lindenwood
Avery Wapp, Lindenwood
Kaylin Fahy, SIUE
Aidyn Barrera, SIUE
Madison Winkler, Southeast Missouri
Karena Recrosio, UT Martin
Kylie Witthaus, Southern Indiana