2026 Preview: The Pitchers
1/15/2026 9:50:00 AM | Softball
COLUMBUS, Ohio - When it comes to Ohio State's 2026 pitching staff, one thing is for certain: the Buckeyes have a little bit of everything.
An experienced sophomore coming off a successful freshman season? That's Lorin Boutte.
A fifth-year senior with plenty of experience? That's Kennedy Kay.
A fourth-year senior coming off an injury but who has shown plenty of promise? That's Lexi Paulsen.
A freshman who graduated from high school a semester early and is ready and eager to contribute? That's Jenna Molk.
In 2025, Boutte and Kay accounted for 265.1 of Ohio State's 361.1 innings pitched. Paulsen made one appearance – in the second game of the season – before suffering a season-ending injury. She'll look to return to the form of her last outing in 2024 when she pitched a three-hit complete game shutout at Michigan.
Boutte emerged as the ace of the staff last spring, as her 21 victories tied the school record for wins in a season by a first-year pitcher. A member of the Big Ten's All-Freshman team, she was also a Softball America Freshman All-American while finishing with a 3.63 earned run average and 127 strikeouts in 152.1 innings pitched.
Most Wins by a Pitcher (Big Ten – 2025)
1. Lyndsey Grein (Oregon) – 30
2. Jordy Bahl (Nebraska) – 26
3. Jalen Adams (Iowa) – 25
4. Lorin Boutte (Ohio State) – 21
5. Kaitlyn Terry (UCLA) – 20
Most Wins By a Freshman Pitcher – Big Ten
1. Lorin Boutte (Ohio State) – 21
2. Addisen Fisher (UCLA) – 18
3. Morgan Reimer (Washington) – 16
Most Strikeouts by a Freshman Pitcher – Big Ten
1. Ella Harrison (Rutgers) – 213
2. Lorin Boutte (Ohio State) – 127
3. Morgan Reimer (Washington) – 125
Kay set career-highs in every major category last year, finishing with 113.0 innings pitched, 16 games started and six complete games. In her final outing of the season, she allowed zero earned runs over 6.2 innings in an NCAA Tournament game at Tennessee.
In 2024, as a true sophomore, Paulsen made 19 total appearances with six starts in 45.0 innings pitched. She had two complete game shutouts and looks to return to her fully healthy form in 2026.
The final piece of the pitching puzzle is the team's newest addition. Molk signed her National Letter of Intent in November and graduated from Dover High School a month later to begin classes in Columbus. While helping her school with the OHSAA Division III state championship last spring, Molk struck out 170 batters in 84.0 innings.
