The Wayne State softball team surpassed the 40-win mark for just the third time in program history Sunday thanks to a sweep of a Northern Sun Conference doubleheader at the University of Jamestown winning 7-1 and 9-1 in five innings. The Wildcats are now 41-13 overall and finished third in the NSIC this season with a 21-9 mark, the most wins in league play since a 21-9 league record by the 2016 Wildcats. This year's WSC softball team joins the 2009 (41-21) and 2010 (43-14) teams to post 40-win seasons.
The opener saw starting pitcher
Taylor Coleman fan 10 batters in just five innings of work and sophomore third baseman
Maddie Scobee went 3 for 4 with two runs scored leading the 'Cats in a 7-1 triumph.
After Jamestown opened the scoring with a run in the first inning, WSC plated three runs in the third and fourth innings to take control of the contest. Coleman had a two-run single in the third as WSC took advantage of two errors by the Jimmies.
WSC scored three more runs in the fourth for a 6-1 lead as Scobee and Coleman each produced RBI singles.
Wayne State closed out the scoring with a run in the sixth as
Emilee Marth singled and later scored on a throwing error.
Wayne State held a 10-5 advantage in hits over the Jimmies with all of the Wildcat hits singles. Scobee was 3 for 4 with two runs scored while Coleman went 2 for 3 with three RBI.
Leah Chance was also 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored.
Coleman (15-6) worked five innings to get the win, allowing an unearned run on four hits with 10 strikeouts and six walks.
Kennadi Borngrebe and
Jadeyn Stahr each pitched one inning of relief.
The second game saw Borngrebe earn a complete-game win with Coleman going 3 for 3 with three RBI pacing the 'Cats in a 9-1 win in five innings.
WSC scored twice in the first on run-scoring singles from Coleman and Borngrebe.
A five-run third inning put the 'Cats in front 7-0, highlighted by a grand slam from
Lillie Timm and a RBI single from Coleman.
Two more runs in the fourth gave WSC a 9-0 advantage as Coleman and Dreibelbis each produced RBI singles.
WSC outhit Jamestown 12-3 with Coleman going 3 for 3, all singles, with three RBI. Timm belted a grand slam while Marth finished 2 for 3 with two runs scored along with Chance.
Borngrebe (18-6) gave up just three hits and one run for the win, striking out seven and walking four.
Wayne State ends the regular season as the #3 seed for this week's Northern Sun Conference Softball Tournament in Sioux Falls. The Wildcats face #6 seed Concordia-St. Paul in a quarter-final contest Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The two teams met in Wayne on April 4
th with WSC winning the first game 3-0 followed by a 1-0 loss to the Golden Bears to split the doubleheader.
