Columbus, Ga. - DePauw opened the 2026 season at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Leadoff Classic and split its Friday games with a 9-6 win over 23rd-ranked Berry and an 11-7 loss to Maryville (Tenn.). The win was the first for DePauw head coach
Gabby Smart.
In the opening game against Berry the Vikings took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before the Tigers took the lead with a pair in the bottom half of the frame.
Ella Kuenster's sacrifice fly scored
Kelsey Schneider before
Libby Minobe came home on an error on the play.
Ava Fouts' two-run single in the fifth gave Berry a 3-2 lead, but it was short-lived as the Tigers scored six in the bottom half of the frame.
Alex Romero-Salas delivered an RBI single before
Paige Brady blasted a grand slam.
Hanna Coffel's RBI double make it 8-3. Brady added a run-scoring single in the sixth before Berry scored three in the seventh.
Kuenster and Brady each had two of DePauw's 10 hits, while Fouts and Rachel Runsick each collected two of Berry's eight hits.
Romero-Salas picked up the win for the Tigers, whil JJ Sweat dropped to 4-1 with the loss.Â
In the Maryville game, the Tigers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Kuenster lifted a sacrifice fly that brought home Minobe and
Alyse Price added an RBI single that scored Schneider.
The Scots took a 3-2 lead in the second before the Tigers knotted the score in the third as
Eliza Rammel singled home Minobe.
Maryville's four-run fourth pushed the lead to 8-3 and DePauw picked up a pair in the top of the fifth.Â
Sydney Dickinson's three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth extended Maryville's lead to 11-5.
Minobe's RBI grounder in the sixth scored
Avery Welsh and Schneider's single plated
Megan Stieglitz to cut the deficit to 11-7, but that's as close as the Tigers got.
Schneider had three of DePauw's nine hits with Minobe adding two. Kaylee Peyret paced Maryville with three of its eight hits.
Izzy Deveau took the loss with Tia Stewart picking up the win.
DePauw returns to action on Saturday with a 10 a.m. game against Saint Mary's (Minn.) and a 12:30 p.m contest against East Texas Baptist.Â
