Berea, Ohio – Concluding their record-breaking season with a victory over Wittenberg, the Oberlin College softball team defeated the Tigers 4-3 in game one before Wittenberg claimed the slight 2-1 victory in the nightcap. The Crimson and Gold cap their historic season 18-18 (5-9) overall, surpassing their previous single-season win record of 14 wins set in 2012 by four games and claiming their most conference victories since the 2014 season. They also produced their first .500 season in program history.
Prior to the game, Oberlin celebrated their four graduating seniors, Hailey Alspach, Haley Carlson, Kailey Dunham, and Maya Means. With 35 wins, the 2026 graduating seniors tie the record for the winningest class in program history, tying with the 2015 class.
"I'm so proud to be the coach here at Oberlin. These senior captains have embraced the saying 'leave it better than you found it.' We definitely have young talent, but the leadership that was provided by Hailey, Haley, Kailey, and Maya changed our program forever," Head Coach
Julie Pratt adds. "Going into the season, I knew we could be the best OCSB team in program history. Beating the NCAC Champions just shows us that there is a new team wearing Crimson and Gold and the future is full of potential to be at the top of the NCAC and the region!"
Alspach pitched all seven innings in the first game, producing four strikeouts while surrendering six hits and three runs (two earned). Connor Fogarty posted two hits and a run, while Dunham and Aoife Shen also recorded a multi-hit game with two hits apiece.
Wittenberg opened the game with two RBI singles to jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Following a quick 1-2-3 inning in the second, Wren Norris scored on a Tiger error after pinch running for Dunham, who got on base from a lead-off single.
Oberlin gained the lead in the third inning with a three-run, four-hit inning. Fogarty singled to get on base, followed by a double from Hannah O'Connor to move two runners into scoring position. Means stepped up to the plate, reaching first on an error and allowing Fogarty to score the unearned run. Pinch running for O'Connor, Roxie Freifeld scored on a Wittenberg error after Means stole second. Shen capped the inning with an RBI single to score Means, with Dunham getting tagged out at third to end the inning with a 4-2 edge.
The Tigers reduced the gap in the fifth inning after Bekah Geil doubled and scored in the following bat from an error. The Crimson and Gold looked to extend their lead, making contact with the ball but flying out to Wittenberg fielders. Oberlin ended the top of the seventh with a quick 1-2-3 inning with Carlson catching the fly out, a groundout to Caroline Sniffen, and a looking strikeout from Alspach, as the Yeowomen secured their first victory over Wittenberg since 2019.
Alspach returned to the mound for a complete game in the nightcap, delivering six strikeouts while allowing five hits and two runs. Oberlin saw hits from Anjali Singh, Fogarty, Means, Ava Soldo, and Shen, with each recording one hit.
It was a quiet game until the third when Wittenberg got on the board with an RBI single. In the ensuing inning, Shen produced a lead-off single, advancing to second with a sacrifice bunt from Singh. Fogarty drilled an RBI double, scoring Shen and making it a 1-1 game.
Following some quick innings for both teams, the Tigers regained the lead in the sixth with an RBI single. Unable to get on base, Oberlin dropped the 2-1 decision to Wittenberg.
Returning all but their four graduating seniors, the Crimson and Gold look to carry this momentum into the fall offseason and their 2027 campaign.
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