Softball receives votes in NFCA Top 25 Poll for the sixth week in a row

The Muskingum softball team's outstanding season was once again recognized on the national level when the Muskies received votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25 Poll for the sixth week in a row. The Muskies received a total of 11 points in the poll.

The Muskies are currently 23-5 overall and tied for first in the Ohio Athletic Conference with a 7-1 record. As a team, Muskingum is batting a scorching .361 and averaging a league-best 10.7 hits, and 7.6 runs per game.

Senior Krissy Hughes leads the Muskie offensive onslaught with a conference-high .495 batting average. She leads Division III with 18 doubles, ranks second in runs scored with 43, fourth in total bases with 82, and 10th in stolen bases with 26.

Freshman Haley Hawk ranks fourth in the conference with a .475 batting average with a league-best 31 RBIs. Sophomore Jaelyn Meade is batting .388 and ranks second in the OAC with six home runs, and sixth in RBIs with 26. Sophomore Karsyn Shaffer is batting .385 with 19 RBIs and 14 stolen bases, while senior Rachel Eberling carries a .345 batting average and leads the league with seven home runs.

The Muskie pitching staff is paced by freshman Hannah Smith, sophomore Hannah Duff, and Eberling. Smith sports a 9-1 record with four complete games and is holding hitters to a .257 average. Her nine wins rank second in the OAC. Duff carries a 7-2 record with a team-best 2.56 ERA. She has fired a team-high 63 innings and logged three complete games, and one save. Eberling has a 7-2 mark with four complete games in 57.2 innings of work.

The Muskies next host the Capital University Crusaders on Wednesday, April 10 for an Ohio Athletic Conference showdown. Game one of the doubleheader is slated for 3:00 p.m.