OKLAHOMA CITY – After getting its initial season-opener snowed out last weekend, the MACU Softball team will officially get its 2026 campaign underway at the Southern Collegiate Sports NAIA Invitational once again being played at the Mesquite Girls Softball Complex in Mesquite, Texas.

It will mark the third-straight year the Evangels will open their campaign in the loaded preseason classic, as MACU will be playing five games in three days. It will open the slate on Thursday with a 1 p.m. game against No. 16 Missouri Baptist and a 3 p.m. contest against Concordia (Neb.).

The Friday slate will consist of a 10 a.m. contest against Tabor (Kan.) and an 11:50 a.m. matchup against Friends (Kan.).

The Evangels will officially wrap-up the event with one game on Saturday, a 1:40 p.m. contest against Cottey (Mo.).
 
SEASON REPORT

• 2025 Record: 32-22 (22-10 SAC)
• Last Game: Lost vs. (1) Jessup (Calif.) – 3-2 – May 21, 2025 – Grapevine, Texas (NCCAA National Championships – Championship)
• Top Returners
  • Gia Reynosa – JR – RHP – All-SAC First Team, NCCAA 2^nd Team All-America
    • 10-8 W-L, 2.19 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 25 APP, 20 GS, 6 CG, 3 SHO, 1 SV, 124.2 IP, 115 H, 55 R, 39 ER, 14 BB, 77 SO, .243 OBA
  • Kayten Herman – JR – C
    • .299 BA (20-67), 43 GP, 21 GS, 4 2B, 4 HR, 13 R, 19 RBI, 8 BB, 1 HBP, .377 OBP, .537 SLG, .914 OPS
  • Serena Rodriguez – SO – OF
    • .281 BA (32-114), 52 GP, 44 GS,  6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 23 R, 24 RBI, 28 BB, 2 HBP, 5 SB, .425 OB%, .377 SLG%, .802 OPS
  • Heidi Noisey – JR – 1B
    • .236 BA (13-55), 31 GP, 17 GS, 1 HR, 4 R, 9 RBI, 6 BB, .311 OB%, .291 SLG%, .602 OPS
• Key Departures
  • Kisbel Vizcaya – SR – INF – All-SAC First Team, NCCAA 1^st Team All-America
    • .418 BA (77-184), 54 GP, 53 GS, 18 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 38 R, 34 RBI, 6 BB, 2 HBP, 8 SB, .434 OB%, .582 SLG%, 1.016 OPS
  • Chana Wolfe – JR – RHP – All-SAC Second Team
    • 10-8 W-L, 2.57 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 24 APP, 20 GS, 8 CG, 4 SHO, 109.0 IP, 101 H, 53 R, 40 ER, 36 BB, 94 SO, .242 OBA
  • Emylee Campbell – SR – UTL – All-SAC Second Team
    • .345 BA (51-148), 51 GP, 49 GS, 7 2B, 9 3B, 1 HR, 39 R, 37 RBI, 14 BB, 4 HBP, 27 SB, .411 OB%, .534 SLG%, .945 OPS
  • Hallie Wilson – SR – OF
    • .393 BA (55-140), 53 GP, 48 GS, 8 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 37 R, 25 RBI, 15 BB, 1 HBP, 26 SB, .455 OB%, .514 SLG%, .969 OPS
• Key Newcomers
  • Emmerson Dickinson – FR – RHP – Denison HS (Texas)
    • Denison HS Co-Athlete of the Year, Ranks second in school history in wins and strikeouts
  • Taylor Martinez – FR – SS/3B – Midland Legacy HS (Texas)
    • First Team All-District
  • Jorjanna King – FR – 3B/C – Celina HS (Texas)
    • First Team All-District
  • Macie Johnson – R-FR – UTL – Austin College (Texas)
    • Played in eight games last season at Austin
• Team Notes:
  • The 2026 campaign will be providing a fresh look for the MACU Softball team. The Evangels welcome in a completely new staff, including first year head coach Eli Espinosa, who comes to MACU after serving as the hitting coach at NCAA D-II Oklahoma Christian last year. She is joined on the staff by Mariah Lopez, who served as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Arkansas after competing with an NCAA D-I softball powerhouse in Utah, the same alma mater as Espinosa. Kendall Lundgren will serve as the team's Graduate Assistant Coach, another former Ute joining the staff.
  • Mid-America Christian has not only replaced its coaching staff, but the Evangels bring in a lot of fresh faces after the team graduated seven of its top hitters, including NCCAA First Team All-American Kisbel Vizcaya as well as three other All-SAC Second Team honorees in Chana Wolfe, Emylee Campbell, and Stormy Hayes, along with some other key seniors in Hallie Wilson, Brooklyn Wilson, Isabel Ray, and Makenzie Thurman.
  • The Evangels do return some key contributors from last year in NCCAA Second Team All-American Gia Reynosa and All-SAC Second Team catcher Madisson Chavez, but the Evangels will be needing to get some strong production from some of their other returners. Junior catcher Kayten Herman, the team's leading home run hitter from last year makes her return along with Serena Rodriguez, who drew the fourth-most walks in a single season in program history a year ago with 28. Junior first baseman Heidi Noisey will also be looking to make some more contributions in her second season with the program after seeing some playing time at first base a year ago.
  • The 2026 version of the Evangels is a pure youth movement with eight incoming freshmen entering to look to leave a strong impression in their first collegiate seasons. Emmerson Dickinson will be looking to lead the pitching staff after putting together a stellar career at Denison High School where she recorded the second-most wins and strikeouts in her program's history.
  • On the lineup side, Taylor Martinez and Jorjanna King are a pair of infielders that will be looking to leave their mark after putting together All-District campaigns at Legacy High School and Celina High School. Redshirt freshmen Macie Johnson is a utility player who is the only newcomer with collegiate experience after seeing action in eight games last season at Austin College.
  • The Evangels will be seeking to build off their recent success. During the 2024 season, MACU qualified for the NAIA Tournament for the first time in program history, which also included getting its first ever tourney win with a 4-0 victory over No. 15 College of Idaho. The Evangels wrapped up that season with a 37-17 mark and finished third in the SAC standings at 27-9.
  • Last season, MACU had some ups-and-downs, but after shaking off an 0-5 start to the season, the Evangels picked up some massive victories over the course of the season, including a 2-0 win over No. 7 Central Methodist in non-conference play and a doubleheader sweep over No. 5 Oklahoma City. Despite falling just short of making the NAIA Tournament, MACU put together a strong showing in the NCCAA National Championships, making a run all the way to the championship tilt where it dropped a slim 3-2 decision to NCAA D-II Jessup (Calif.). Overall, the Evangels wrapped up the year with a 32-22 overall record and once again finished third in conference play at 22-10.

SCOUTING REPORT
No. 16 Missouri Baptist

• 2025 Record: 46-8
• Last Game: Lost at No. 7 Oklahoma City – 4-3 – May 15, 2025 – Oklahoma City (NAIA Tournament – Opening Round)
• Series vs MACU (2023-): MBU leads 2-1
• Last Game vs MACU: MBU won 5-1 – Feb. 7, 2025 – Mesquite, Texas
• Series Streak: MBU won 2
• Players to Watch:
  • Brooklyn Fischer – SR – LHP
    • Pitching: 21-4 W-L, 2.43 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 33 GP, 23 GS, 17 CG, 4 SHO, 1 SV, 161.0 IP, 146 H, 63 R, 56 ER, 31 BB, 146 SO, .237 OBA
    • Hitting: .426 BA (69-162), 54 GP, 52 GS, 16 2B, 9 HR, 37 R, 56 RBI, 21 BB, 3 HBP, .492 OB%, .691 SLG%, 1.183 OPS
  • Jenna Achs – SR – OF
    • .420 BA (71-169), 54 GP, 52 GS, 15 2B, 3 3B, 45 R, 24 RBI, 11 BB, 2 HBP, 20 SB, .454 OB%, .533 SLG%, .987 OPS
  • Jacie Dees – SR – OF
    • .401 BA (63-157), 52 GP, 50 GS, 17 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 48 R, 36 RBI, 14 BB, 5 HBP, 8 SB, .461 OB%, .618 SLG%, 1.079 OPS
  • Camryn Kessler – SR – 1B/C
    • .364 BA (43-118), 46 GP, 46 GS, 12 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 26 R, 36 RBI, 21 BB, 2 SB, .451 OB%, .602 SLG%, 1.053 OPS
• Team Notes:
  • Missouri Baptist is bringing back a stellar team that just barely narrowly missed advancing the NAIA World Series a year ago. After picking up a 5-3 upset win over host Oklahoma City in the NAIA Opening Round, the Stars battled back to win a pair of 6-5, 4-3 decisions to eliminate the Spartans from the postseason.
  • MBU brings back a downright deep lineup with all of its top hitters returning from a year ago, including three players that hit for an above 1.000 OPS in Brooklyn Fischer, Jacie Dees, and Camryn Kessler.
  • On-top of being the team's top bat, the Spartans also return one of their top two pitchers in Fischer. Aside from her sensational hitting numbers, she was also stellar in the circle, posting 21-4 record and a 2.43 ERA to go along with a 1.10 WHIP rating and a sensational 4.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
  • Thursday's contest marks the second-straight year the Evangels and Spartans will face each other in the SCS NAIA Invitational. In that contest, MBU got on the board early and often, scoring four runs through the first two frames. While MACU's ace Gia Reynosa was able to settle in over the next four innings, the Evangels struggled to generate much offense as a Kisbel Vizcaya RBI double in the third was the lone run MACU scratched across in the 5-1 defeat.

Concordia (Neb.)

• 2025 Record: 27-20
• Last Game: Lost vs. Northwestern (Iowa) – 6-0 – Apr. 30, 2025 – Orange City, Iowa (GPAC Tournament)
• Series vs MACU: First Meeting
• Last Game vs MACU: N/A
• Series Streak: N/A
• Players to Watch:
  • Taryn Ganstrom – SR – INF/P
    • Hitting: .364 BA (55-151), 46 GP, 46 GS, 7 2B, 9 3B, 1 HR, 38 R, 23 RBI, 15 BB, 1 HBP, 16 SB, .420 OB%, .550 SLG%, .970 OPS
    • Pitching: 5-2 W-L, 3.98 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 13 APP, 2 GS, 1 CG, 38.2 IP, 54 H, 31 R, 22 ER, 11 BB, 14 SO, .333 OBA
  • Aubriana Krieser – JR – 1B
    • .310 BA (40-129), 45 GP, 40 GS, 14 2B, 1 HR, 14 R, 25 RBI, 5 BB, 4 HBP, 4 SB, .350 OB%, .442 SLG%, .792 OPS
  • Kaylei Denison – JR – P
    • 12-6 W-L, 3.30 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 22 APP, 21 GS, 12 CG, 1 SHO, 118.2 IP, 136 H, 77 R, 56 ER, 61 BB, 59 SO, .289 OBA
• Team Notes:
  • Concordia put together a solid season competing in the GPAC last season, finishing with an overall record of 27-20 while finishing fifth in is league standings with a 12-10 mark.
  • Much like the Evangels, the Bulldogs are replacing a lot of their best hitters from a season ago, but they do bring back their best hitter in Taryn Ganstrom, who posted a .364 batting average last year while scoring a team-high 38 runs while Aubriana Krieser was a productive hitter as well, slashing .310 with some solid power with 14 doubles and a homer for 25 RBIs.
  • While CUNE lost its top pitcher from a season ago in Megan Eurich, Kaylei Denison will be looking to pick up where she left off last season, going 12-6 in the circle with a 3.30 ERA. On top of being a great hitter, Ganstrom provided some strong relief for the Bulldogs a year ago.
  • Thursday's contest will officially mark the first ever meeting between the Evangels and the Bulldogs.

Tabor (Kan.)

• 2025 Record: 23-20
• Last Game: Lost vs. Sterling (Kan.) – 4-0 – Apr. 30, 2025 – Branson, Mo. (KCAC Tournament)
• Series vs MACU (2004-): Series tied 8-8
• Last Game vs MACU: Tabor won 7-6 – Feb. 7, 2025 – Mesquite, Texas (SCS NAIA Invitational)
• Series Streak: Tabor won 1
• Players to Watch:
  • Candince Moreno-Hairabedian – SO – C/INF
    • .322 BA (28-87), 34 GP, 30 GS, 6 2B, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 12 R, 8 BB, 1 HBP, .381 OB%, .529 SLG%, .910 OPS
  • Mylee Milne – SR – INF
    • .275 BA (33-120), 42 GP, 40 GS, 7 2B, 3 HR, 19 R, 18 RBI, 19 BB, 4 HBP, .392 OB%, .408 SLG%, .800 OPS
  • Marisa Carranza – SR – P
    • 8-5 W-L, 5.35 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 22 APP, 20 GS, 11 CG, 109.1 IP, 159 H, 79 R, 65 ER, 26 BB, 49 SO, .331 OBA
• Team Notes:
  • Finishing ninth in a loaded KCAC a season ago, Tabor wrapped up its 2025 slate with a 23-20 overall record with its season ending in a back-to-back double elimination in the KCAC Tournament, falling to NCCAA Central Region Champion Sterling in the matchup.
  • Last season boasting a powerful lineup that hit 35 home runs, the Bluejays will be looking to replace that power with their two biggest sluggers serving as graduate assistants on this year's roster. The team's two best returning hitters feature Candince Moreno-Hairabedian, who hit a solid .322 with 23 RBIs while Mylee Milne chipped in with an excellent .392 on-base percentage, scoring 19 runs and posting 18 RBIs.
  • In the pitching staff, Tabor is replacing its ace, but do return some experience in the staff with its No. 2 in Marisa Carranza. Last year, Carranza went 8-5 in the circle with a 5.35 ERA.
  • Mid-America Christian will be looking to avenge a heartbreaking loss to Tabor in last year's SCS NAIA Invitational. In that contest, MACU jumped out to an electric start by scoring six runs in the top of the first, four of which coming off the bat of Hallie Wilson's grand slam. However, MACU struggled to generate runs the rest of the way as Tabor rallied with seven unanswered runs to escape with the 7-6 victory.

Friends (Kan.)

• 2025 Record: 37-15
• Last Game: Lost vs. Baker (Kan.) – 5-1 – May 13, 2025 – Sioux Center, Iowa (NAIA Tournament – Opening Round)
• Series vs MACU (2006-): FRND leads 10-3
• Last Game vs MACU: FRND won 6-4 – Feb. 10, 2024 – Mesquite, Texas (SCS NAIA Invitational)
• Series Streak: FRND won 1
• Players to Watch:
  • Cadence Magana – SO – OF/P
    • .367 BA (55-150), 48 GP, 47 GS, 5 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 42 R, 34 RBI, 11 BB, 3 HBP, 5 SB, .413 OB%, .487 SLG%, .900 OPS
  • Tamara Lozoya – SR – SS
    • .338 BA (45-133), 52 GP, 52 GS, 5 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 29 R, 25 RBI, 20 BB, 2 HBP, 3 SB, .424 OB%, .444 SLG%, .868 OPS
  • Jenna Ormiston – JR – P
    • 8-5 W-L, 5.54 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 20 APP, 11 GS, 5 CG, 1 SHO, 65.2 IP, 85 H, 59 R, 52 ER, 29 BB, 38 SO, .315 OBA
• Team Notes:
  • Coming off winning the KCAC regular season title with a 21-5 league mark, Friends made an appearance in the NAIA Tournament where it saw its season come to a close with a 5-1 loss to Baker in the elimination game of the Opening Round.
  • The Falcons are entering the 2026 slate with some new prospects as the team lost its top two pitchers as well as a large sum of its production from the plate. Cadence Magana and Tamara Lozoyo will be looking to step into a more productive role after having solid seasons for the Falcons a year ago.
  • The most experienced returning pitcher for Friends is junior Jenna Ormiston. During her sophomore season, the hurler struggled to some extent despite going 8-5, posting a 5.54 ERA with a 1.73 WHIP over 65.2 innings of work.
  • Mid-America Christian will be seeing Friends for the second time at the SCS NAIA Invitational after taking on the Falcons two years ago. In that contest, MACU rallied from a 5-0 deficit by scoring four runs in the top of the sixth to cut it to a one-run game. However, Friends got a run back in the bottom of the sixth before closing it out in the seventh for the 6-4 win.

Cottey (Mo.)

• 2025 Record: 23-23
• Last Game: Lost vs. Crowley's Ridge (Ark.) – 8-2 (8 Inn) – Apr. 29, 2025 – Conway, Ark. (AMC Tournament)
• Series vs MACU: First Meeting
• Last Game vs MACU: N/A
• Series Streak: N/A
• Players to Watch:
  • Halen Hoelzeman – SR – C/INF
    • .398 BA (51-128), 46 GP, 43 GS, 14 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 32 R, 38 RBI, 20 BB, 4 HBP, 5 SB, .490 OB%, .664 SLG%, 1.154 OPS
  • Makayla Snyder – SR – 1B/UTL
    • .346 BA (47-136), 46 GP, 43 GS, 14 2B, 2 HR, 26 R, 28 RBI, 11 BB, 3 HBP, .407 OB%, .493 SLG%, .900 OPS
  • Amelia Gassman – SR – P
    • 6-9 W-L, 4.84 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 20 APP, 15 GS, 10 CG, 1 SHO, 1 SV, 102.2 IP, 151 H, 77 R, 71 ER, 43 BB, 76 SO, .338 OBA
• Team Notes:
  • Finishing sixth in the AMC last season with a 13-9 conference mark, Cottey saw its season come to a close with a 23-23 overall record after falling to Crowley's Ridge in the AMC Tournament.
  • The Comets bring back a good chunk of its offensive production from last year's squad, including their top hitter in Halen Hoelzeman, who slashed .398 with a stellar 1.154 OPS with 32 runs and 38 RBIs.
  • While Cottey brings back a lot of offensive production, the Comets lost most of its top pitchers with the most experienced returner being Amelia Gassman, who saw action in 20 games and allowed a 4.84 ERA in those 102.2 innings of work.
  • Saturday's matchup marks the first ever meeting between MACU and Cottey.