Softball Tournament Opening Weekend Preview: Hornets Enter Pod Play as the Second Seed

5/1/2026 9:00:00 AM

By: Matt McIntosh '23

SALEM, Va. - In the midst of a historic season, the Shenandoah University softball team enters the ODAC Tournament as the second seed and will partake in pod play in the opening weekend, starting on Friday.

In the double-elimination opening weekend, the Hornets play Averett University in the first game in pod two. The winner will move on and play the winner of Randolph-Macon College vs Bridgewater College, with the losers of the two games playing in an elimination game.

This season, the Hornets went a combined 4-2 against the three teams in their pod, sweeping Randolph-Macon and Bridgewater, while being swept by Averett.

OPENING WEEKEND POD TWO INFORMATION

Date: May 1-3, 2026
Location: Moyer Sports Complex (Salem, VA)
Weekend Schedule:
Friday, May 1
- Game 1: Shenandoah vs. Averett — 5:00 p.m. ET
- Game 2: Randolph-Macon vs Bridgewater — 7:30 p.m ET
Saturday, May 2
- Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 — game time: 11:00 a.m. ET
- Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 — game time: 2:00 p.m. ET
- Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 — game time: 5:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 3
- Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 — game time: 12:00 p.m. ET
- Game 7 (if necessary): Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 — game time: 30 minutes after Game 6

SHENANDOAH VS AVERETT HISTORY

Shenandoah Wins: 17
Averett Wins: 22
Last Meeting: 4/8/2026 (W&L Won 10-6)
Last Playoff Meeting: 2025 ODAC Tournament (AU Won 13-12)

SHENANDOAH VS RANDOLPH-MACON HISTORY

Shenandoah Wins: 9
Randolph-Macon Wins: 28
Last Meeting: 3/19/2026 (SU Won 2-1)
Last Playoff Meeting: 2022 ODAC Tournament (RMC Won 14-3)

SHENANDOAH VS BRIDGEWATER HISTORY

Shenandoah Wins: 18
Bridgewater Wins: 28
Last Meeting: 4/15/2026 (SU Won 4-2)
Last Playoff Meeting: 2024 ODAC Tournament (BC Won 4-3)

2026 SHENANDOAH SOFTBALL

Record: 29-9, 14-6 ODAC
Head Coach: Olivia Scarbrough (1st Season)
Hits Leaders: Cadence Rieg (53), Brenna Westwood (45), Makayla Cox (40)
Batting Average Leaders: Cadence Rieg (.442), Brenna Westwood (.405), Makayla Cox (.377)
RBI Leaders: Cadence Rieg (36), Makayla Cox (28), Keagan Cooper (23), Payton Jensen (23)
Home Run Leaders: Paige Eagleton (5), Cadence Rieg (3), Keagan Cooper (3), Payton Jensen (3)
Pitching: Gracie Ravenkamp (13-3, 106.2 IP, 2.49 ERA), Meghan Gaskins (9-0, 52.0 IP, 1.08 ERA), Cadence Rieg (5-5, 51.0 IP, 4.67 ERA), Ava Matthews (2-1, 35.0 IP, 3.80 ERA)
Team Stats: .337 batting average, 258 runs, 348 hits, 2.83 ERA

2026 AVERETT SOFTBALL

Record: 24-16, 9-11 ODAC
Head Coach: Anna Coleman (2nd Season)
Hits Leaders: Carson Bradsher (60), Mackenzie Newcomb (50), Kadence Woodlief (47)
Batting Average Leaders: Carson Bradsher (.458), Mackenzie Newcomb (.403), Kadence Woodlief (.376)
RBI Leaders: Mackenzie Newcomb (44), Kadence Wooflief (34), Kennidy Kirby (24)
Home Run Leaders: Mackenzie Newcomb (3), Kadence Wooflief (2), Kennidy Kirby (1), Sarah Lysohir (1)
Pitching: Hannah Zabik (12-5, 102.2 IP, 2.66 ERA, Cora Liggon (7-5, 65.1 IP, 3.00 ERA), Kaci Stephenson (1-3, 36.0 IP, 4.67 ERA), Sarah Lysohir (1-2, 29.1 IP, 6.68 ERA), Delani Straughan (2-1, 19.1 IP, 5.43 ERA)
Team Stats: .320 batting average, 208 runs, 336 hits, 3.71 ERA

2026 RANDOLPH-MACON SOFTBALL

Record: 26-14, 13-7 ODAC
Head Coach: Krysti Maronski-Neufeldt (2nd Season)
Hits Leaders: Tori Powell (41), Mya Davis (39), Reagan Hill (35), Katerina Brabson (35)
Batting Average Leaders: Mya Davis (.394), Tori Powell (.353), Alyssa Meharg (.347)
RBI Leaders: Reagan Hill (33), Katerina Babson (25), Mya Davis (24)
Home Run Leaders: Reagan Hill (5), Ashley Bush (5), Mya Davis (3), Tori Powell (3)
Pitching: Sierra Kegley (14-3, 112.2 IP, 1.37 ERA), Kailey Jackson (9-8, 102.1 IP, 2.39 ERA), Courtney Guthrie (2-2, 28.1 IP, 2.72 ERA), Katerina Babson (1-1, 10.0 IP, 1.40 ERA)
Team Stats: .316 batting average, 229 runs, 336 hits, 1.93 ERA

2026 BRIDGEWATER SOFTBALL

Record: 26-14, 11-9 ODAC
Head Coach: Megan Pleskovic (7th Season)
Hits Leaders: McKenna Mueller (50), Caroline Malandra (42), Aniella Baldwin (40)
Batting Average Leaders: McKenna Mueller (.397), Aniella Baldwin (.388), Caroline Malandra (.385)
RBI Leaders: Caroline Malandra (29), McKenna Mueller (27), Andrea Savage (19)
Home Run Leaders: Caroline Malandra (6), McKenna Mueller (3), Olivia Eastlake (3)
Pitching: Mackenzie Cauthorn (14-7, 129.2 IP, 1.67 ERA), Evelyn Rhoads (9-3, 87.0 IP, 1.53 ERA), Kylie Jones (2-4, 25.0 IP, 6.16 ERA), Elena Williams (1-0, 18.1 IP, 7.25 ERA), Abigail Grimsley (0-0, 1.2 IP, 0.00 ERA)
Team Stats: .301 batting average, 179 runs, 313 hits, 2.43 ERA

#GoSUHornets

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