Game 1 - Wayne State 1 St. Cloud State 0
Game 2 - Wayne State 3 St. Cloud State 2
The Wayne State softball team extended their current win streak to nine games with a 1-0 and 3-2 sweep at St. Cloud State Sunday afternoon. Katie Goetzinger pitched a three-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts in the opener while Amy Sandstrom, Sam Earleywine and Hannah Engelkamp each belted solo homers in the second game to help the Wildcats complete the sweep. WSC is now 36-12 overall and 21-5 in the NSIC while St. Cloud State is 21-27 and 8-18 in league play.
In the opener, Wayne State scored the lone run of the game in the fourth inning as Blaire Kuhl singled to right field, advanced to second when Sam Earleywine was hit by the pitch and then scored on Jennifer Radley's single to shortstop.
Goetzinger (24-8), meanwhile, was mowing down St. Cloud State batters striking out 14 Huskies pitching a three-hit shutout as WSC posted the 1-0 win.
WSC had five hits in the game, all singles, by Sandstrom, Kassie Nurton, Kuhl, Radley and Engelkamp.
The second game saw WSC use three solo homers to top St. Cloud State 3-2. Amy Sandstrom led off the game with a solo blast to center field, giving the 'Cats a 1-0 lead. After SCSU tied the score in the second inning, WSC regained the lead in the top of the third when Sam Earleywine connected for a home run down the right field line, putting WSC in front 2-1. The Huskies tied the score again in the bottom of the third and it remained 2-2 until the top of the sixth inning when Hannah Engelkamp homered to right field with the go ahead run to give WSC a 3-2 advantage. Reliever Katie Goetzinger then retired the last six St. Cloud State batters in order to preserve the 3-2 win.
Wayne State had nine hits in the win, led by Sam Earleywine going 2 for 3 with a solo homer. Engelkamp and Sandstrom also homered while Jennifer Radley doubled. Kassie Nurton, Goetzinger, Aeriell Earleywine and Brittany Greenwood each singled.
Goetzinger (25-8) picked up the win in relief of starter Amber Baird. Baird worked the first three innings, giving up two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk while Goetzinger shut down the Huskies over the final four innings, allowing just one hit with six strikeouts and no walks.
The Wildcats have qualified as either the #2 or #3 seed for the Northern Sun Conference Softball Tournament scheduled to be played in Sioux Falls on Friday and Saturday. Pairings for the tournament will be released Sunday evening.
