Hoffman No-Hits Spring Arbor on Senior Day, Coach Howald Honored

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. —  The Mount Vernon Nazarene University softball team (26-19, 19-17 CL) hosted Spring Arbor University (24-24, 16-20 CL) at the Cougar Softball Field on Saturday, April 26.

Before the game, Head Coach Jeana Howald was celebrated and honored. After 36 years at the helm of the MVNU softball program, Howald will be retiring after the 2025 season.

MVNU softball seniors Kylie Rohr, Maddelyn Wine, Mollie Pentz, Nadia Hoffman, Sydney Elliott, and Sydney Hoover were also honored after the series for their commitment and hard work over the years.

Game 1 Summary:

MVNU did most of its damage in the third inning, taking a 3-0 lead after Pentz scored on a wild pitch, Kiera Mayer scoring after an RBI-double from Jesenia Montalvo, and then Montalvo coming home thanks to an RBI-single from Skylar Zimmerman. Zimmerman collected another RBI in the fourth on a single to left field that scored Montalvo. MVNU's final run of the game came in the sixth when Dakota Staffan scored Rohr on a single to second base, putting the home team up 5-0.

The story of the game was Hoffman, who put together a dominant performance on senior day. Hoffman pitched a no-hitter for MVNU, finishing the game with nine strikeouts.

Game 2 Summary:

MVNU took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The three runs ended up being the only scoring by MVNU in game two. Spring Arbor pushed across three runs in the second, one in the fourth, and then exploded for eight runs in the fifth to take complete control.

MVNU was unable to bring home the game extending run in the bottom of the fifth, and would fall by a final score of 12-3 in game two of the series.

What's Next:

MVNU softball is set to begin postseason play in the Crossroads League Tournament, hosted by Taylor University from April 29 to May 2. Tournament pairings and times are TBD.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,100 students from 33 states and 26 foreign countries.