Redshirt freshman pitcher Kennadi Borngrebe fired a four-hit shutout in the opener to lead Wayne State softball to a split against Minnesota Duluth on a windy, hot Friday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Softball Complex in Wayne.  The 'Cats won the opener 2-0 to beat UMD in softball for the first time since 2016, snapping a 13-game losing skid to the Bulldogs, while UMD gained a split with a 5-2 win in the second game.  WSC is now 18-12 and 3-3 in the league with UMD sitting at 23-11 and 3-3 in conference play.
            Borngrebe recorded her third shutout of the season with the 2-0 win in the opener.  She gave up just four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.
            WSC scored runs in the second and fourth innings.  In the second, sophomore Lillie Timm doubled with two outs and scored on a Mary Krystofiak singled through the right side for a 1-0 lead.
            In the fourth, leadoff batter Hayley Murphy belted a ball to deep centerfield that hit the top of the fence and bounced over for a solo home run to close the scoring.
            WSC held a 5-4 edge in hits over the Bulldogs.  Murphy had a solo homer while Timm doubled and scored for the Wildcat extra base hits.  Emilee Marth, Krystofiak and Maddie Scobee each added singles.
            The second game saw the visiting Bulldogs gain a split with a 5-2 win over the Wildcats.
            UMD scored twice in the first with both runs scoring reaching base on walks. 
            The 'Cats evened the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the second as Lauren Laudick singled to center field bringing home Borngrebe (singled) with the first run.  Murphy later singled and scored on a Jordyn Rochholz RBI single for the second run.
            But UMD produced single runs in the third, sixth and seventh innings while UMD starter Allyssa Williams held the 'Cats hitless the rest of the game giving the Bulldogs a 5-2 victory.
            Minnesota Duluth had five hits to four by the Wildcats.  Laudick and Rochholz each had RBI singles while Borngrebe and Murphy both singled and scored one run.
            Starter Sami Felt (2-4) suffered the pitching loss, working three innings and charged with three runs on two hits with five walks and three strikeouts.  Reliever Taylor Coleman pitched the remaining four innings and allowed two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and one walk. 
            The Wildcats are scheduled to host St. Cloud State Saturday in an NSIC doubleheader at 12 and 2 p.m. weather permitting.  Watch Wayne State social media outlets Saturday morning for updates on the potential for playing the games earlier Saturday morning pending the weather.