Wayne State softball belted four home runs Tuesday afternoon in helping the Wildcats sweep Southwest Minnesota State by scores of 9-1 and 4-1 in Northern Sun Conference action at the Pete Chapman Softball Complex in Wayne.  WSC is now 21-12 and 6-3 in the NSIC while SMSU drops to 22-16 and 4-8 in league play.
            After SMSU opened the game with a run in the top of the first, Wildcat designated player Lillie Timm blasted a three-run homer over the center field wall for a 3-1 Wayne State lead.
            The 'Cats added another run in the third to grab a 4-1 advantage Leah Chance singled and later scored on an SMSU throwing error.
            WSC put the game out of reach with a five-run fifth inning to grab the 9-1 win.  Timm and Kennadi Borngrebe opened the frame with back-to-back doubles for the first run.  Senior catcher Hayley Murphy then connected for a two-run homer over the left field wall for a 7-1 Wildcat lead.  Taylor Coleman's RBI single drove home Maddie Scobee (walk) for the fourth run of the inning while Mary Krystofiak doubled and later scored on a Mustang error to make the final score 9-1.
            Wayne State had 11 hits in the win.  Murphy went 3 for 3 with a homer, double and two RBI.  Timm finished 2 for 3 with a homer, double, three RBI and two runs scored while Chance had a 2 for 4 game with two runs scored.  Krystofiak also had two hits in the win.
            Borngrebe earned the complete-game win, now 12-5 on the season.  She allowed three hits and one run with six strikeouts and two walks.
            The second game saw Lauren Laudick and Jordyn Rochholz each hit home runs while sophomore starter Taylor Coleman fanned eight batters in a complete-game win as the Wildcats completed the sweep with a 4-1 victory.
            WSC opened the scoring with three runs in the second, two coming on a two-run homer from Laudick that scored Krystofiak (singled).  Rochholz walked and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Emilee Marth for the third run.
            SMSU scored their lone run of the contest in the fourth, but WSC got the run right back thanks to a one-out solo homer from Rochholz to make the score 4-1 to close the scoring.
            The 'Cats had one more hit than SMSU in the contest 6-5.  Laudick and Rochholz each hit home runs with Rochholz scoring twice to lead WSC at the plate.  Jordyn Klein was 2 for 3 while Krystofiak and Marth also had singles.
            Coleman earned the complete-game win in the circle to improve her season record to 4-2, allowing five hits and one run with eight strikeouts and two walks.
            The Wildcats are on the road this weekend for NSIC play visiting Northern State Saturday at 1 p.m. and MSU Moorhead Sunday starting at 11 a.m.