Baseball OAC Tournament Preview

May 4, 2026

For the first time since 2010, Muskingum baseball is back in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament, and they'll open play Thursday morning against the top-seeded Mount Union Purple Raiders at 11:30 a.m.

The Muskies enter the postseason at 19-19 overall and 9-7 in OAC play, earning the No. 4 seed after a strong finish to conference action. Muskingum has leaned on a balanced offense and timely pitching throughout the year, hitting .283 as a team while posting a 4.70 ERA and a .954 fielding percentage.

Muskingum's lineup has been fueled by consistent production from several key hitters.

Junior Grant Mellerson leads the way with a .362 average, collecting 51 hits and scoring 37 runs while adding 22 RBIs. Senior Sam Palmieri has been the Muskies' biggest power threat, batting .294 with a team-high 11 home runs and 41 RBIs while also scoring 40 runs. Freshman Josh Beavon has been another steady presence, hitting .330 with 33 hits and 21 RBIs, while sophomore Daelyn Jarman contributes a .317 average and 15 RBIs in limited action. Junior Conner Thamann has added depth in the middle of the lineup, hitting .278 with 25 RBIs.

On the mound, Muskingum has relied on a mix of starting depth and bullpen stability.

Sophomore Jake Valentine (5.37 ERA) has been a workhorse for the Muskies, making 11 starts and logging 52 innings on the year. He has recorded 32 strikeouts while consistently taking the ball in big conference matchups. Alongside him, freshman Colten Muhlenkamp (5.26 ERA) has anchored the rotation with a team-high 53 innings pitched across nine starts.

Out of the bullpen, senior Max Vosters has been one of the most reliable arms in the conference, posting a 2.29 ERA with a 6-2 record and four saves while striking out 44 batters in 51 innings. His ability to control games late gives the Muskies a strong option to close out tight contests.

Additional depth has come from sophomore Lex Castaneda (2.81 ERA in six starts) and senior Jake Roshau (3.00 ERA), giving Muskingum multiple options to match up depending on the situation.

The tournament will consist of a four-team field:

#1 Mount Union: 30-8 (14-2 OAC), .319 AVG, 4.85 ERA
#2 Baldwin Wallace: 28-9 (13-3 OAC), .314 AVG, 4.18 ERA
#3 Ohio Northern: 25-13 (11-5 OAC), .281 AVG, 3.96 ERA
#4 Muskingum: 19-19 (9-7 OAC), .283 AVG, 4.70 ERA

The OAC Tournament follows a double-elimination format, setting up multiple paths for the Muskies.

Game 1 (Thursday, 11:30 a.m.): vs. Mount Union
With a win: Muskingum advances to Game 4 on Friday at 12:30 p.m. against the winner of Baldwin Wallace vs. Ohio Northern.
With a loss: The Muskies drop to Game 3 Friday at 9:30 a.m. in an elimination matchup.

From there:

Winner of Game 3 faces the loser of Game 4 in Game 5
Winners of Games 4 and 5 meet in Game 6 (Saturday)
Game 7 (Saturday) will be played if necessary to determine the champion