PREVIEW | MSJ Softball Set to Compete in HCAC Championship

CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Mount St. Joseph softball team has earned a spot in the 2026 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) tournament after putting together an outstanding season. After putting together a 14-4 HCAC record this season the Lions were co-champions of the regular season. Due to tiebreakers they will be the #2 seed in the tournament that is set to be held Thursday-Sunday, May 7-10 at Kokomo High School Softball Stadium in Kokomo, Ind.

They shared the regular season championship with the Franklin Grizzlies but the Grizzlies won the tiebreaker at 14-4. The Lions and Grizzlies split their double-header in the final weekend of the regular season. advancing the tiebreaking protocol to the second step where teams were compared based on their head-to-head matchups with the remaining conference teams in standings-rank order. Both squads were 2-2 in the unbroken tie of 13-5 teams, but Franklin earned a sweep of 9-9 Bluffton giving it the advantage over the Mount's split against the Beavers.

As the #2 seed the Lions earn a first-round bye and will await the winner of #3 Transylvania vs. #6 Manchester, their first game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 PM on Thursday. During their regular season matchups the Mount split their double-header on the road at Transylvania and swept Manchester at home. 

The Lions enter the tournament boasting one of the HCAC's top offenses, as they lead the league in batting average (.378), slugging percentage (.499), on-base percentage (.449) and have the fewest strikeouts in the league with only 70 on the year. The offense is led by Shelby Rakosky who put together one of the finest season's in school history, she enters the tournament hitting .493 on the year, with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homeruns and 42 RBIs. 

On the pitching side the Lions have the second best ERA in the HCAC this season at just 2.84 and they are aided by what is statistically the leagues best defense. The trio of Clare Lopeman, Lesleigh Reimers and Molly Sharp are all in the top-10 of the HCAC in ERA this season. 

Should the Lions win their game on Thursday they will take the field again on Friday once again at 5:30 PM, should they lose they will play at 12:30 PM.