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AKRON, Ohio – The second-seeded Ohio softball team (30-22) opens play at the 2024 Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament May 8-11. After a four-year hiatus, the tournament returns to Firestone Stadium in Akron Ohio. As the two seed, the Bobcats earned a first-round bye and will open play on Thursday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. against  No. 6 Ball State (26-27). 

Ball State defeated No. 3 Western Michigan, 6-0, on Wednesday afternoon to advance into the winner's bracket. 
 
Miami (45-7) enters the tournament as the top seed, while Central Michigan (16-30) and Toledo (25-21), along with WMU and Ball State all play for a spot at an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 
 
For the second-straight year, the Bobcats enter the tournament with 30 wins, and finished the regular season on a nine-game MAC winning streak and winning 10 of their last 12 conference matchups. 
 
Ohio was led in the circle by redshirt sophomore Skipp Miller (Bradford, Ohio), who earned All-MAC First Team Honors. In MAC play, Miller has appeared in 19 games, while making 13 starts, earning 12 complete games. She recorded a 10-6 mark in conference play, with two shutouts and two saves. In 104.2 innings, Miller had a 2.34 ERA and allowed 35 earned runs, while walking 35 and striking out 65.
 
Freshman Mikie Lieving (New Haven, W. Va.) earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team and All-Freshman Team. Lieving made a mark in her first season in the circle for the Bobcats. In 11 appearances in MAC play, Lieving went 6-1 with a 2.49 ERA. In 56.1 innings, Lieving had three complete games and one shutout. She allowed 20 earned runs, walked 13 and struck out 26 batters that she's faced. In MAC play, she only allowed one home run, while opponents hit.306 off her.
 
Freshman Izzie Wilson (Delaware, Ohio) earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team. Wilson made an impact in her first season as a Bobcat. The outfielder played and started all 26 MAC games in the outfield, hitting .347 with 26 hits in 75 at bats. She's recorded five doubles, one home run, 10 RBI and scored 10 runs. She had a .453 slugging percentage, drew four walks, and had a .375 on base percentage.
 
Overall, the Bobcats finished the regular season hitting .278 as a team, with 388 hits, 67 doubles, seven triples and 28 home runs, while scoring 237 runs and driving in 205. In the circle, the Bobcats' pitching staff had an overall, .291 ERA with 198 strikeouts.
 
All of this year's MAC Tournament games will be streamed on ESPN+.  
 
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