Consistent Titans remain undefeated

As the weather changes with the season, so too do the sports being played. Local teams move from the gyms to the fields in the hopes that those fields will stay dry. Although high school spring sports are just getting underway, local colleges are already in midseason form. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Softball team has been ready from the get-go, as they own a perfect undefeated record to this point. 

The Titans from Oshkosh began their season unlike most other schools in the WIAC. While other teams looked for breaks in the snow and the rain to get outside, UW-Oshkosh has been able to play their early games in their signature Rec Plex dome. The Rec Plex has been a staple of the softball program in recent years, with it being the only such facility in the conference.

Because of this, they have gotten a jump start on the competition, having played home games as early as February 24. After kicking off the season with a pair of wins over visiting Lakeland University, the Titans have been on a roll, going a perfect 20-0 through the second week of April.

Oshkosh’s success has been thanks in large part to their consistency at the plate. The Titans own a team batting average of over .330, which ranks first in the WIAC Conference. Although they only have a collective five home runs, the Titans have pestered their opponents with their ability to make contact and get on base, holding a team OBP over .400.

Senior first baseman Hannah Ritter has set the tone offensively for Oshkosh, racking up over 25 hits while slashing an impressive .456/.522/.614. Junior Brianna Davis has been close behind Ritter, as the outfielder has put up a line of .389/.441/.630 on the season.

As dominant as the Titans have been at the plate, their pitching has been similarly sharp. They currently hold a team ERA of 0.78, with over 120 opposing strikeouts. Junior Sydney Nemetz has been the ace of the club. Pitching in over 50 innings, she has fanned 65 batters, thrown seven complete games, and has given up just five runs for an ERA of 0.52.

UW-Oshkosh has not just received notice from area schools, but also national coaches. The Titans are currently a top-25 ranked team nationally, according to a recent NFCA D3 poll. 

The UW-Oshkosh Titans are coached by Scott Beyer and assisted by Kaityn Krol and Steve Scheibe.

Their battle to stay undefeated will face one of its toughest tests when on April 17, they travel to Whitewater to face the fellow top-25 ranked Warhawks. In this matchup and others, it will continue to take both sides of the ball for the Titans to stay at the top.