BGSU softball (14-12, 2-4) enters its second weekend of conference play, aiming to build momentum after its opening Mid-American Conference (MAC) road trip at Western Michigan. The Falcons will face Buffalo (12-17, 3-3 ), which sits one spot ahead of Bowling Green in the conference standings.
Buffalo
Buffalo is coming off a 2025 season in which it finished 17-33 overall and 10-17 in MAC play, narrowly missing the conference tournament. Despite the record, the season marked progress for the program.
That upward trend has continued in 2026. Under first-year head coach Chelsea Plimpton, the Bulls are 12-17 overall and just five wins shy of last season’s total. Buffalo was picked to finish one spot ahead of Bowling Green in the MAC preseason poll, earning 40 points compared to the Falcons’ 34.
The Bulls enter the weekend with momentum after sweeping a midweek doubleheader against Canisius, winning 5-2 and 4-3. Before to that, Buffalo won its opening home MAC series against Kent State, outscoring the Golden Flashes 20-5 in its two victories.
Offensively, Buffalo has been one of the more productive teams in the conference, hitting .293 as a team. Junior outfielder Reagan Terwilliger, a returning first-team All-MAC selection, leads the lineup with a .396 batting average, 36 hits and 32 runs scored. She is also a perfect 20 for 20 on stolen-base attempts.
Senior first baseman Abbey Nagel, a second-team All-MAC selection in 2025, is hitting .320 with 21 RBIs. Sophomore catcher Bella Smithson provides power, batting .321 with a team-high six home runs and is tied for the team lead with 24 RBIs alongside junior third baseman Bri Delaney.
Sophomore outfielder Nicole Allen (.351) and sophomore outfielder Emily Gorman (.341) add depth to a balanced Buffalo lineup.
In the circle, the Bulls have struggled at times, posting a 7.17 team ERA. Junior pitcher Olivia Russ leads the staff with 60 2/3 innings pitched and has a 6.23 ERA with 25 strikeouts. Sophomore pitcher Genevieve Longsdorf is another primary option, holding a 4-3 record with a 7.00 ERA over 57 innings.
Bowling Green
Bowling Green continues to show improvement under second-year head coach Michelle Gardner after finishing 16-36 overall and 7-19 in MAC play last season.
The Falcons are coming off a competitive series at Western Michigan, where they dropped two 1-0 games before responding with a 7-1 win in the finale.
Offensively, Bowling Green is hitting .268 as a team and has been aggressive on the base paths, stealing 59 bases in 66 attempts.
Redshirt sophomore third baseman Addie Martin leads the Falcons with a .342 batting average, eight home runs, eight doubles and 27 RBIs. Junior first baseman Taylor Behrendt has also been consistent, hitting .329 on the season.
In the circle, junior pitcher Mackenzie Krafcik has anchored the pitching staff. The senior holds an 8-5 record with a 2.37 ERA over 76 2/3 innings. She has recorded 38 strikeouts and thrown nine complete games, including three shutouts. As a staff, Bowling Green carries a 3.73 ERA.
Series Schedule
The Falcons and Bulls will play a three-game series this weekend, beginning with a single game at 3 p.m. Friday, followed by a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Friday’s game and Saturday’s doubleheader will both be streamed on the WBGU YouTube channel, with Dawson Pelter and Ben Corak on the call. Recaps and additional coverage will be available at bgfalconmedia.com.
