BGSU softball (15-14, 3-6 MAC) takes a brief break from conference play this week for a trio of midweek matchups in the Buckeye State. The Falcons will travel to Columbus to face Ohio State (15-18, 5-4 Big Ten) on Tuesday, March 31, before heading to Youngstown State (17-12, 5-1 Horizon) for a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 1.
Ohio State
The Buckeyes (15-18, 5-4 Big Ten) enter Tuesday’s clash riding a five-game winning streak, having recently caught fire after a slow start to the season. Ohio State is coming off a dominant weekend where they swept a three-game home series against Michigan State by scores of 9-0, 2-0, and 10-0.
The Buckeyes are in their second season under head coach Kirin Kumar, who was hired in June 2024 after leading Miami (OH) to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and orchestrating one of the most potent offenses in NCAA history. Kumar is looking to build upon Ohio State’s historic 2025 campaign, where the Buckeyes led the nation in runs scored (495) and hit a Big Ten record 147 home runs.
That explosive power has carried over into 2026. As a team, the Buckeyes have already smashed 70 home runs. Missouri transfer sophomore infielder Abbie Wilhelm and junior outfielder Taylor Cruse pace the lineup’s power numbers with 13 home runs apiece.
Wilhelm leads the team with 30 RBIs and is hitting .375, while junior outfielder Hadley Parisien boasts a team-high .381 batting average alongside 11 home runs. Junior infielder Sami Bewick is another major threat, hitting .367 with six homers and 27 RBIs.
In the circle, freshman pitcher Jenna Molk has handled a massive workload for the Buckeyes. She holds a 12-10 record and a 3.04 ERA over 108 1/3 innings pitched, striking out 86 batters while throwing 10 complete games.
Youngstown State
The Penguins (17-12, 5-1 Horizon League) have also built strong momentum, entering Wednesday’s doubleheader on a four-game winning streak after a home sweep of Northern Kentucky, where they scored 33 runs across three games.
Led by veteran head coach Brian Campbell, who is in his 18th season at the helm and is the winningest coach in program history with over 400 victories at YSU, the Penguins have established themselves as perennial contenders in the Horizon League.
This year, Campbell’s squad boasts a dangerous, high-contact lineup hitting .330 collectively. Cleveland State transfer senior catcher Emma Gilkerson leads the way with a .380 average, eight home runs, and 25 RBIs. She is closely followed by returning All-Horizon League selection junior infielder Lydia Wilkerson, who is hitting .378.
Senior utility Kennedy Dean and junior infielder Selah Moyer have been the prime run producers in the middle of the order, hitting .369 and .364 while driving in 30 and 32 runs, respectively.
Freshman pitcher Kennedy Kimball anchors the YSU staff with a 6-4 record and an impressive 2.15 ERA over 58 2/3 innings. Sophomore pitcher Kelsey Ogin has also been a steady presence in the rotation, adding a 5-2 record with a 4.69 ERA over 12 appearances.
Bowling Green
The Falcons (15-14, 3-6 MAC) look to build off a 9-1 run-rule victory over Buffalo in their most recent series finale, which helped them bounce back and salvage the weekend after dropping the first two games to the Bulls.
Second-year head coach Michelle Gardner continues to steer the program forward. Offensively, BGSU is hitting .272 as a team and utilizing its speed to manufacture runs, having successfully stolen 70 bases on 78 attempts this season.
Junior infielder Taylor Behrendt leads the squad with a .337 batting average and a .425 on-base percentage. Redshirt sophomore Addie Martin provides the heavy lifting for the lineup, hitting .333 with team-highs in both home runs (8) and RBIs (27) while slugging an impressive .726. Junior shortstop Cameron Kaufman has also been a highly consistent contributor, batting .306 with 26 hits and 18 RBIs.
In the circle, senior pitcher Mackenzie Krafcik continues to be the undisputed ace of the pitching staff. Krafcik carries an 8-6 record with a 2.43 ERA and 40 strikeouts across 83 2/3 innings, having already tossed 10 complete games and three shutouts. Sophomore pitcher Morgan Beckham provides a strong secondary option, holding a 3-1 record and a 2.73 ERA over 11 appearances.
Series Schedule
The Falcons will face Ohio State for a single game at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at Buckeye Field in Columbus. They will then travel to Youngstown for a Wednesday doubleheader against the Penguins at the YSU Softball Complex, with the first game scheduled for 3 p.m.
