CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University softball team hosts another pair of Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) competitors this weekend in Tiffin University and the University of Findlay. The Dragons come to town for a Friday doubleheader and Findlay the next day.
 
GAME INFORMATION:
Friday, April 2
Malone Pioneers (7-4-1, 1-3 G-MAC) vs Tiffin Dragons (8-8, 3-1 G-MAC)
Pioneer Softball Field – Canton, OH (2/4 DH)
Live Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/malone/
 
Saturday, April 3
Malone Pioneers (7-4-1, 1-3 G-MAC) vs Findlay Oilers (10-11, 1-3 G-MAC)
Pioneer Softball Field – Canton, OH (12/2 DH)
Live Video/Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/malone/
 
SOFTBALL SERIES HISTORY:
The Pioneers are 9-35 all-time versus Tiffin and 4-24 against Findlay. In 2019, the Dragons won all three games against Malone, but the Pioneers took both games of a home doubleheader versus the Oilers.
 
MALONE PIONEERS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
Malone took one of the first four conference games last weekend against Trevecca Nazarene and Kentucky Wesleyan. In come-from-behind fashion, the Pioneers took down the Panthers 10-8 in game two after a grand slam from Lauren Bennett propelled Malone to the lead in the game and a two-run double from Lexi Betz secured the victory.
 
April Howser had a big weekend in the box against Kentucky Wesleyan and Trevecca Nazarene and upped her batting average to .424 on the season. Howser had six base hits with two doubles, three RBIs, two runs scored and drew two walks.
 
Against Kentucky Wesleyan, Mikayla Kesel, who leads the team with a .438 average, went 4-for-8 at the dish with an RBI, two runs scored.
 
Lauren Bennett has drawn four walks over the last three games and her patience at the plate has proven fruitful. Bennett is hitting .429 this season and hit her first career homerun (a grand slam) deep in the count.
 
TIFFIN DRAGONS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
Tiffin has won their last three games and swept the Ursuline Arrows in their most recent games on Monday. As a team, the Dragons have the highest fielding percentage at .970. Tiffin also has the highest stolen base percentage in the G-MAC at 30-for-31.
 
Brooke Lambert is the team's most prolific hitters. Lambert hits .373 with team highs in at bats (51), doubles (6), homeruns (2), runs scored (11) and stolen bases (7-for-7). Lambert was 4-for-7 in the Monday doubleheader versus Ursuline.
Laura Teunion-Smith (.364) and Maddie Woods (.319) are other infielders that hit the ball well along with Lambert. Teunion-Smith has the most runs batted in for the Dragons with 11.
 
Claire Feldkamp and Victoria Edwards lead Tiffin in the circle with 34.1 and 23.2 innings pitched. The Dragons have utilized six different pitchers, four of them with seven or more appearances. Libby Schaadt has the team's lowest ERA at 1.84 heading into the weekend.
 
FINDLAY OILERS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
Findlay was swept by Ohio Dominican in a Monday series earlier this week. The Oilers are scheduled to play Walsh on Friday before playing at Pioneer Softball Field on Saturday.
 
At the plate, Findlay is fifth in team batting average at .277 and fourth in team earned run average at 3.47. The pitching staff holds opponents to just .240 at the plate, the second-lowest batting average against in the conference.
 
Megan Fisher and Madelyn Turner lead the Oilers in batting at .381 and .377, respectively. Devyn Zuro has the most extra base hits with seven.
 
Fisher is also the Oilers starting pitcher. She has made nine appearances in the circle and has a record of 3-5. Caragyn Yanek is 4-2 with a team-low 2.27 ERA.