2006 Ohio Athletic Conference Softball Tournament
May 5 & May 6 * Hosted by Muskingum College

Directions to and map of Muskingum

Admission: $5.00 Adults/$2.00 students
(OAC students admitted free with student ID)

Friday, May 5
Game 1: #3 Mount Union College 4, #2 Marietta College 0
Game 2: #1 Muskingum College 8, #4 Otterbein College 5
Game 3: #1 Muskingum 3, #3 Mount Union 0
Game 4: #2 Marietta 3, #4 Otterbein 0

Saturday, May 6
Game #5: #2 Marietta 8, #3 Mount Union 6
Game #6: #1 Muskingum 3, #2 Marietta 1

All-Tournament Team
Missy Kanz, Otterbein
Lee Negrelli, Mount Union
Ashley Hochstetler, Mount Union
Lindsey Romick, Marietta
Kristen Quintana, Marietta
Stephanie Houston, Marietta
Amy Mattin, Muskingum
Lindsay Bramhall, Muskingum
Kari Hoying, Muskingum
Erica Hoyt, Muskingum

OAC Softball Media Manual

OAC Softball Tournament preview
Muskingum College will host the 22nd annual Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Softball Tournament at Muskingum Field in New Concord on Friday-Saturday, May 5-6. This is the 10th straight season that Muskingum will be hosting the OAC Tournament. Muskingum finished the 2006 campaign with a 16-2 Conference mark, to earn the top spot and hosting rights for this year’s four-team, double-elimination Tournament. Muskingum has won 15 OAC Tournament titles, including eight straight.

The Tournament kicks off with #3 Mount Union College facing #2 Marietta College for an 11:00 a.m. start time. The Pioneers swept the Purple Raiders during the regular season, 7-1 and 7-3. Marietta and Mount Union last met in the 1985 OAC Tournament with the Pioneers prevailing by an 11-4 score. Marietta and Mount Union had identical 12-6 OAC records this year, but the Pioneers received the #2 spot by its sweep of the Purple Raiders during the regular season.

Game two will pit #4 Otterbein College at #1 Muskingum College at 1:00 p.m. The Cardinals and Muskies split a pair of games this season with Otterbein winning 5-4 and Muskingum taking the second match-up, 4-3. Muskingum holds a 4-0 edge when it faces Otterbein in OAC Tournament play.

Muskingum has appeared in all 21 OAC Tournaments and has won 15 OAC titles since the 1985 debut of the tournament, including eight straight. The Muskies have an astonishing 53-13 OAC Tournament record. Offensively, the Muskies are led by three players batting over .400 - sophomore Kari Hoying (Russia/Russia Local) at .488, senior Lindsay Bramhall (Vandalia/Vandalia-Butler) at .423 and freshman Randi Dance (Olmsted Falls) at .403. The Muskie pitching attack is led by senior pitcher Erica Hoyt (Tipp City/Bethel) and freshmen Heather Martin (Utica) and Amy Mattin (Delta).

Marietta, the #2 seed, is making its second straight and sixth overall stop in the OAC Tournament. Marietta won the 1996 title and finished runner-up at the inaugural OAC Tournament in 1985. Junior Jenny Carroll (Lisbon/Beaver Local) leads the team with a .397 batting average and 48 hits on the year. Freshman Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire) is second on the team with a .330 average, junior Lindsey Romick (Hannibal/River) is third at .315 and sophomore Brandy Jacob (Wellington/Keystone) is hitting .307. On the mound, junior hurler Kristen Quintana (Denver, CO/Littleton) leads the team with 18 wins on the year, 195 strikeouts and a 0.86 ERA.

Mount Union earned the third seed with a 12-6 OAC record. The Raiders are making their 16th overall stop in the Tournament with nine runner-up finishes, including last year's second place finish. The Purple and White will look to sophomore hurler Lindsey Royer (Marlington) to help stop opposing offenses. Royer leads the team with 14 wins and a 1.10 ERA. Offensively, MTU looks to the bats of sophomore Erin Duignan (North Canton/Green), junior Crystal Thomas (Akron/Walsh Jesuit) and second year player Katie Olive (Niles/Mineral Ridge). All three are batting over .400 on the year. Duignan leads the team with 56 hits and 43 RBI. Junior Cortney Frederick (Vermilion) has a team-best 15 stolen bases.

Fourth-seed Otterbein is making its fourth OAC Tournament stop. The Cardinals earned back-to-back runner-up Tournament finishes in 2001 and 2002. The Cardinals won three of their final four games to secure their spot in the Tournament. Offensively, three players are batting over .300 for the Cards, junior Beth Rowland (Champion) at .373, freshman Janelle Jones (Uhrichsville/Claymont) at .361, and junior Kristen Pawlus (Brookpark/Midpark) at .308. Rowland leads the team with 41 hits and Pawlus has the top mark for RBI (23). On the mound, freshman Kristina Hayes (Upper Arlington) leads the team with eight wins and junior Megan Seibel (Johnstown/Monroe) has a team-best 1.67 ERA.

The 2005 All-OAC Teams, the Gayle Lauth Player-of-the-Year, John Wells Pitcher-of-the-Year and the Bob Jordan Rookie-of-the-Year will be announced on Saturday, May 6, following the conclusion of the OAC Tournament. The 2006 OAC Coaching Staff-of-the-Year will be announced on Monday, May 8.