Freshman third baseman Maddie Scobee's two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Emilee Marth and Taylor Coleman to give Wayne State a walk-off 4-3 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in the opening game of the 2025 Northern Sun Conference Softball Tournament at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It was the first win for the Wildcats in the NSIC Tournament since 2015, giving a Wayne State a 31-23 overall record while SMSU ends the year 29-26.
            After the Mustangs opened the scoring with one run in the top of the second, the Wildcats countered with two runs to grab a 2-1 lead. With two outs and no runners on base, Scobee reached on a Mustang fielding error and advanced to third on Hayley Murphy's double to center field. Both players scored when senior first baseman Mary Krystofiak reached base on a SMSU fielding error.
            Southwest Minnesota State responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-2 lead. The score remained 3-2 until Wayne State's seventh inning rally.
            Sophomore outfielder Emilee Marth began the rally with a double down the left field line. One batter later, Taylor Coleman reached on an infield single to third giving the 'Cats runners on the corners and only one out. After Coleman stole second base Scobee singled to second on a 2-1 count that brought home Marth and Coleman with the winning runs for WSC and a walk-off 4-3 win.
            Wayne State finished the game with a 6-4 hit advantage over SMSU. Marth ended 2-4 with a double and one run scored. Murphy also doubled while Scobee produced the game winning single and two RBI's. Coleman and Lauren Laudick each singled in the win.
            Senior reliever Samantha Felt (8-5) earned the pitching win with three innings of scoreless relief. She gave up just two hits and struck out one batter. Starter Kennadi Borngrebe worked the first four innings and was charged with two runs on two hits with one strikeout and four walks. Senior reliever Grace Lucka faced three batters in the fifth inning and was charged one run.
            With the win Wayne State advances in the single elimination tournament and top seeded and #8 Augustana Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the NSIC Softball Tournament.