Game 1 - Wayne State 10 #15 Winona State 3
Game 2 - Wayne State 2 #15 Winona State 1 9 inn.
The Wayne State College softball team swept a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon over 15th-ranked Winona State at the Pete Chapman Softball Complex in Wayne, beating the Warriors 10-3 in the first game and 2-1 in nine innings in the second game. WSC improved to 21-5 on the season with the wins, moving to 6-0 in the NSIC, while Winona State is now 18-6 overall and 4-2 in league play.
The first game saw junior pitcher Katie Goetzinger strike out 10 in a complete game win while Sam Earleywine and Jennifer Radley each had three hits including a home run to provide plenty of offensive support for Goetzinger.
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the first when Sam Earleywine's two-run double down the left field line drove home Amy Sandstrom (walk) and Blaire Kuhl (hit by pitch) to put WSC in front early. Winona State scored single runs in the second and third innings to tie the score at 2-2, but the Wildcats took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Sandstrom's two-run single brought home Koetzinger (walk) and Aeriell Earleywine (fielder's choice) to give WSC a 4-2 lead.
Winona State pulled within one at 4-3 with a single run in the top of the fifth, but WSC scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on solo homers from Sam Earleywine and Jennifer Radley to increase the Wildcat advantage to 6-3. Radley's homer just over the right center field fence was her 20th in a Wildcat uniform, making her the all-time career home run leader passing Shelle Tomaszkiewicz who hit 19 homers from 1984-87. WSC added four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with big hits coming from Sam Earleywine, a two-run single, an RBI double from Hannah Engelkamp and an RBI single by Brittany Greenwood, to cap the 10-3 win.
Wayne State had 13 hits in the win. Sam Earleywine was 3 for 4 with a homer, double and five RBI's. Radley finished 3 for 4 with a solo homer that made her the all-time home run leader in WSC softball history. Engelkamp was 2 for 4 with a double and RBI while Sandstrom, Kuhl, Greenwood, Goetzinger and Nurton each added singles.
Goetzinger (13-4) pitcher her eighth complete game of the season earning the win, allowing three runs on eight hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk.
The second game was a pitcher's duel between Winona State's Alex Chichila and Wayne State's Amber Baird and Goetzinger as the Wildcats pulled out a 2-1 nine inning win over the Warriors to complete the sweep.
The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when Winona State struck first as Katie Moriarty singled to left field, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on Kathy Crudo's single to center field to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead. WSC countered in the bottom of the inning to even the score as Kassie Nurton singled and later scored on Blaire Kuhl's RBI double down the left field line to make the score 1-1.
Winona State threatened to regain the lead in the top of the seventh as the Warriors put two runners on base, but Goetzinger came in to relieve starter Amber Baird and struck out two Winona State batters in a row to end the inning. The game stayed 1-1 until the Wildcats scored in the bottom of the ninth. Sam Earleywine and Jennifer Radley earned back-to-back walks and then Greenwood laced a single to left field that scored Earleywine with the game-winning run to give Wayne State a thrilling 2-1 win over Winona State.
WSC had just five hits in the game, led by Greenwood going 2 for 3 at the plate including the game-winner in the ninth. Kuhl doubled while Amber Baird and Nurton each singled.
Goetzinger earned the pitching win in relief of Baird. Baird worked six innings, allowing just one run on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Goetzinger pitched the final three innings, striking out six while walking just one to improve her mark to 14-4 on the season.
Wayne State will face another tough Northern Sun Conference opponent on Saturday when the Wildcats visit 23rd-ranked Augustana in a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader in Sioux Falls.
