One final NSIC regular season softball doubleheader was on the docket ahead of postseason play for Wayne State College.
From Carlander Field in St. Paul, Minnesota, WSC visited Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday.
Following an 8-1 loss dropping their fourth straight, Wayne State College fired back with a 7-6 road win to split the doubleheader. WSC closes their regular season at 30-23 (14-13 NSIC) while the host Golden Bears moved to 25-28 (17-11 NSIC).
The 30 regular season wins marks the most for WSC since 2015 when the Wildcats went 34-21 overall and 18-12 NSIC.
In the opening game, scoring began in the home half of the third inning where Concordia-St. Paul plated two runs.
Wayne State College produced their lone run of game one in the top of the fourth. Sophomore Emilee Marth recorded a solo homerun.
CSP added two runs in the fifth and four more runs in the sixth.
Final favored Concordia-St. Paul winning 8-1 while outhitting WSC, 10-4. Neither team committed an error.
Emilee Marth posted a solo homerun to lead the Wildcats.
Sophomores Jordyn Klein, Taylor Coleman and Lillie Timm all singled.
Redshirt freshman Kennadi Borngrebe (120 pitches) suffered the complete game loss in six innings allowing eight earned runs off 10 hits while striking out eight batters and walking three.
During the second outing, Wayne State College took control early with a single run in the top of the first inning. Borngrebe posted a RBI base hit scoring Marth.
WSC added a single run in the top of the second. Freshman Leah Chance used a RBI base knock driving in sophomore Jordyn Rochholz.
The Wildcats plated two more runs in the top of the third to lead 4-0. Senior Lauren Laudick recorded a two-RBI double allowing Coleman and Borngrebe to both score.
Concordia-St. Paul then cut into the deficit thanks to three runs during the home half of the fourth.
Wayne State College tallied one run in the top of the fifth to lead 5-3 as Rochholz posted a solo homerun.
The host Golden Bears took a 6-5 lead the next inning following a three-run bottom of the fifth.
WSC would regain the lead with two more runs in the top of the sixth. Coleman finished with a two-RBI double driving in Borngrebe and senior Hayley Murphy.
Final favored Wayne State College holding onto the 7-6 win while outhitting CSP, 11-9. The Golden Bears committed three errors compared to zero by WSC.
Jordyn Rochholz recorded a solo homerun, singled and totaled two runs scored; Lauren Laudick singled, doubled and drove in two runs; Taylor Coleman doubled, drove in two runs and scored as Kennadi Borngrebe singled twice, drove in a run and scored twice. Freshman Maddie Scobee also singled twice.
Leah Chance singled and drove in a run; Emilee Marth singled and scored as Hayley Murphy scored.
Senior Samantha Felt (41 pitches) picked up the win in three innings of relief allowing one run off three hits while striking out one batter. Senior Grace Lucka (73) started the game working four innings allowing five earned runs off six hits while striking out four batters, walking one and hitting one.
The 10-team single elimination NSIC Softball Tournament will be played at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Wednesday, April 30 - Saturday, May 3. #8 WSC (30-23/14-13 NSIC) will open against #9 Southwest Minnesota State (29-25/11-17 NSIC) at noon on April 30 with the winner to face #1 Augustana (43-9/25-3 NSIC) at 12:30 p.m. on May 1.
Earlier this season, the Wildcats won 9-1 and 4-1 vs. Southwest Minnesota State on April 1. WSC dropped games of 11-1 and 6-2 vs. currently rated #11 in NCAA DII Augustana on April 9 also in Wayne.
This marks the first time since 2022 that the Wildcats have played in the NSIC Softball Tournament.
