BARTOW, Fla. – The Ohio Wesleyan University softball team opened up the 2026 season with two contests down in Florida on Monday, playing Beloit and DeSales in the first day of their slate at THE Spring Games. The Battling Bishops took both games, defeating Beloit 9-6 and DeSales 7-3 to start the season 2-0.

GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 9, BELOIT 6
Ohio Wesleyan got up early in game one, scoring five runs before the end of the fourth inning. The Bishops added four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth which came in handy to cancel out a four-run seventh for Beloit, leading to a 9-6 OWU win.

The Buccaneers cracked the scoreboard first with one run in the top of the first, but the Bishops responded with one of their own in the bottom half. The run came via a double to left center from Ryla Zehring – her first career hit – that drove in Chameron Vanden Eynden.

The Red and Black added three in the third and one in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead at the game's halfway point. The bottom of the third started off with Vanden Eyden scoring again on a single from Rylee Myers – her first career hit. Next, Myers came around to score on a double to left field from Rylea Gist. Finally, Gist scored on a single up the middle from Jessie Spurling. Gist singled to score Shelby Morris in the next inning to complete the five-run streak.

Beloit took one back in the top of the sixth, but again Ohio Wesleyan erased any progress by the Buccaneers with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. First, a Lexi Stratton single resulted in Myers scoring on a throwing error by the left fielder. Stratton then scored from third after Spurling reached on an error by the shortstop. Lastly, Kennedy Dean singled up the middle to bring in both Spurling and Liv Yeary to make it a 9-2 game.

Those four insurance runs came in handy to cancel out a four-run seventh by Beloit, allowing OWU a 9-6 victory.

Makenna Knisley (1-0) made the first start of the season and pitched the first five innings, allowing just five hits and one run (unearned) while walking two and striking out two. Emma Dahlstrom pitched two-and-a-third in relief with Olivia Basil coming in to strike out the final batter.

Gist was 2-for-4 with a double and a single, two RBI and one run scored

Dean went 1-for-1 and drove in two runs.

Myers was 1-for-3 with her first career hit as well as a sacrifice. She drove in one run and scored two.

Zehring recorded her first two career hits on a 2-for-3 afternoon that included a double, also adding an RBI.

Spurling scored one and drove in one, finishing 1-for-4.

Vanden Eynden was perfect at the plate with a 3-for-3 day that included a double and a sacrifice hit. She also scored twice.

Stratton was 1-for-1 with a run scored.

Natalie Russell went 2-for-4 with her first two career hits.

GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 7, DeSALES 3
Ohio Wesleyan kept their hot streak going with six runs combined in the first and second innings of game two against DeSales. The Battling Bishops tacked on another in the fifth which was more than enough to outscore two runs in the third and one in the seventh for a 7-3 victory.

In the top of the first, Ryla Zehring walked with the bases loaded to bring home Chameron Vanden Eynden. Next, Jessie Spurling reached on a fielder's choice to score Rylee Myers. Natalie Russell then singled to right field to plate Zehring for the third run. The final two runs of the inning came on an error that allowed Lexi Stratton to reach and scored Viera Barrett and Spurling. Spurling returned the favor in the top of the second with a single up the middle to get Rylea Gist home.

The lone run for OWU in the fifth came in the form of a sacrifice fly by Liv Yeary, allowing Kenney Dean to come home.

Zehring (1-0) made her collegiate debut on the mound and picked up her first career win, pitching four innings and allowing just two runs (one earned) along with three hits while striking out one. She also scored a run and drove in a run. Olivia Basil came in in relief and pitched the final three innings to earn her first career save, allowing just one run while striking out four.

Spurling was the spark for the Ohio Wesleyan offense, plating two runs and scoring one herself on a 1-for-4 day.

Russell was a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI, also reaching on a fourth plate appearance via a hit-by-pitch.

Gist was 2-for-2 with a run scored.

Myers recorded two hits, going 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Vanden Eynden crossed the plate once on a 1-for-4 afternoon.

Barrett and Dean scored one run each.

UP NEXT
The Bishops are back in action tomorrow playing Penn State Behrend at 2 p.m. followed by Bowdoin at 4 p.m., both in Winter Haven, Florida.