WSC seventh inning comeback falls just short, leaving the tying run at second base, as Indiana (PA) held off the Wildcats 9-8 Friday morning at the NTC Spring Games Softball Tournament in Winter Haven, Florida.  The Crimson Hawks improve to 4-3 and Wayne State slips to 3-17.
            Indiana jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after a three run home run to start the game.  The Wildcats answered with two runs of their own to keep the margin close at 3-2 after the first inning.  WSC got runners on base early with a lead-off single from Kortney Buresh and a Riley Holmberg walk.  Both runners were moved into scoring position after a Kim Vidlak sacrifice bunt and Buresh was brought in with a Jenna Etmans RBI single.  Holmberg was plated to cut the deficit to one after a Paiton Tornberg fielder's choice to second for the other run of the inning.
            After a scoreless frame by both teams in the second inning, the Crimson Hawks put up one run in the third but the Wildcats answered with two in the bottom half of the frame to tie the score at 4-4 after three.  Holmberg started the inning with a walk with Etmans following with a game-tying two run home run to left field to make it knotted up at 4-4 through three frames.
            The Crimson Hawks regained the lead by posting one run in the fourth and two in the fifth.  The Wildcat bats were silent in the fourth but wouldn't stay silent for long when they strung together a couple hits and took advantage of some Crimson Hawks mishaps to once again tie the game at a score of 7-7.  Buresh found herself on base again by leading off the frame with a walk and advancing all the way to third after a Holmberg sacrifice bunt and a Crimson Hawk wild pitch.  Vidlak belted an RBI double to right center to bring in Buresh to make the score 7-5.  Vidlak came around to score from second after advancing on a fly out and a wild pitch cutting the lead to one.  With the bases empty Tornberg got the inning restarted with a walk followed by a Kamryn Sparks single advancing Tornberg to third.  Tornberg evened the score at 7-7 on another wild pitch.
            The sixth inning stayed scoreless for both teams setting up a dramatic finish with the score still at 7-7.  Indiana put the pressure on the Wildcats by posting two runs in the top half of the frame and WSC wouldn't go down without a fight by putting up one run and being in a situation with the tying run on second but would ultimately fall short for a final score of 9-8. 
Wayne State scored their lone run in the seventh with back to back walks from Holmberg and Vidlak with Holmberg coming around to score on a pair of wild pitches and stealing home on a well-executed double steal with Vidlak to give a final of 9-8.
            Wayne State bats were led by Jenna Etmans going 2 for 3 with three RBI's and the big two run home run in the third.  Kim Vidlak chipped in going 1 for 2 with a walk, RBI and run scored and Kortney Buresh 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.  Riley Holmberg reached base safely every at bat with three walks and a game-high three runs scored.
            Callie Carraher started in the circle for the Wildcats going just one inning when she was relieved by Hadley Chvatal who went four innings surrounding four runs and striking out three Crimson Hawks.  Samantha Felt would be the third and final Wildcat pitcher of the game going two innings giving up two runs and taking the loss for a 0-4 record on the season.
            The Wildcats face Ferris State of Michigan Friday afternoon in their final game at the NTC Spring Games in Florida.