The Wayne State softball team scheduled a pair of doubleheaders with Missouri Western after a scheduled tournament at Emporia State was cancelled due to the weather.
On Saturday, Missouri Western notched a pair of victories over the Wildcats at Joplin, Mo., winning by scores of 10-2 and 9-1.
In the opener, the Griffons combined for six runs in the fifth and sixth innings to defeat the Wildcats 10-2.
Trailing 2-0 in the second, Wayne State responded with a run when Annie Grammer delivered an RBI single to bring home Ashley Hernandez to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Griffons plated two runs in the third for a 4-1 lead with Wayne State scoring their final run in the fourth on an Emily Chandler fielder’s choice that brought home Kortney Buresh.
Wayne State had eight hits in the contest, led by Hernandez going 2-for-3 with a double. Morgan Vasa, Kim Vidlak, Chandler, Kamryn Sparks, Grammer and Buresh each singled in the contest.
Maddie Moser (0-2) was tagged with the pitching loss, working five innings and charged with seven runs (five earned) with four strikeouts and two walks. Riley Vanderveen pitched one inning and allowed three runs (two earned).
Missouri Western completed the sweep in the second game, scoring four in the first and two more in the second to take control of the five-inning game.
Wayne State’s lone run came in the fourth inning as Kamryn Sparks singled and crossed home plate on a bases-loaded walk to Taylor Menard.
Wayne State had four hits in the contest, all singles. Sparks was 2-for-3 and scored a run while Grammer and Vidlak each had hits. Makenna Adkison (1-1) worked two innings and was charged with the loss, allowing six runs (three earned) while Moser pitched 2 1/3 innings and yielded three runs, all earned.
On Saturday, the Griffins won two more from the Wildcats, winning 6-1 and 1-0 to drop Wayne State to 1-5 on the season.
The opener saw the host Lions use a four-run third inning to separate themselves and go on to post the victory. Wayne State got on the board in the fifth inning with one run, but left the bases loaded. Morgan Vasa recorded an infield single, Abbie Hix singled and Kamryn Sparks walked to load the bases before Ashley Hernandez drew a bases-loaded walk to score Vasa.
Missouri Southern had one more hit than Wayne State in the contest 7-6. Penke led the Wildcats offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double. Vasa, Hix, Sparks and Michaela Smith each singled. Moser took the pitching loss, allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Vanderveen worked one inning of hitless relief giving up one walk.
The second game saw the host Lions score an unearned run in the fifth inning for the lone run of a pitching duel between Adkison and Missouri State’s Taurean Guzman.
Adkison gave up just three hits and an unearned run with two walks and two strikeouts while Guzman allowed four hits to Wayne State with no walks and two strikeouts.
The Wildcats had just two runners reach second base in the contest. Penke singled in the second and moved to second base on a passed ball and was left stranded and in the seventh inning Penke doubled with one out and again was left stranded to end the game.
Wayne State had four hits in the contest, one more than Missouri Southern. Penke went 2-for-3 with a double while Vasa and Sparks each singled. Adkison (1-2) was the hard luck losing pitcher, yielding just three hits and one run (unearned) in the contest.
The Wildcats begin their annual spring break trip to the National Training Center Spring Games in Florida starting Sunday, March 3. The Wildcats are scheduled to face Tiffin (Ohio) at 11:15 a.m. and Clarion (Pa.) in a 3:45 p.m. contest next Sunday.
