Wayne State belted out three home runs in the first game and split their final doubleheader of the season Sunday at St. Cloud State, winning the opener 17-6 before losing the finale 8-0.
The Wildcats’ bats came out smoking hot early as they scored five in the opening inning. Katelyn Wobken scored on an RBI single to left field by Emily Chandler, Abbie Hix later followed with a two-run single that scored Alyx Hagen and Chandler, and Taylor Menard doubled and scored Jordyn Breitbarth and Hix to stake Wayne State to the early 5-0 advantage.
St. Cloud State got within three in the bottom half of the inning, using a two-run home run from Morgan Emmans to make the score 5-2, but Wayne State got those runs back in the second as Breitbarth scored Wobken, who singled to lead off the inning, on a fielder’s choice to the shortstop and Hix followed with an RBI single to right to score Alyx Hagen.
St. Cloud used a grand slam in the third to get within a run at 7-6, but the Wildcats scored 10 runs over the final two innings to end the game on the eight-run rule. Jordyn Breitbarth cranked two-run home runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to lead the blowout.
Wayne State had 18 hits in the contest. Breitbarth led the Wildcats at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs. Chandler was 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs, Hix went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, Wobken went 3-for-4 with an RBI while Raquel Penke had a double and home run in four plate appearances.
Maddie Moser earned the win, pitching two innings, giving up six hits and five earned runs. Junior Riley Vanderveen held the Huskies hitless and scoreless the three innings she pitched.
The second game saw the Wildcat bats go cold as Wayne State managed just five hits. Despite Wayne State outhitting St. Cloud State 5-4 in game two, St. Cloud State was able to take advantage of three Wildcat errors.
Wayne State looked to get on the board in the first inning with runner on the corners, but a foul out and fly out ended the scoring threat.
After a scoreless first, St. Cloud State scored multiple runs in the second, third and fourth innings to lead 8-0.
Wayne State looked to get back in the game in the fifth after back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, but a pickoff at second, a fielder’s choice and a strikeout ended the game 8-0.
Katelyn Wobken had the only extra-base hit of the game, a double in the third inning. Chandler, Breitbarth, Hernandez and Penke all singled in the contest.
Vanderveen was tagged with the loss, tossing three innings and giving up two hits and walking five batters. Allison Niemeier pitched one inning of relief, allowing three earned runs on two hits and a walk.
Wayne State ends the season 16-29 overall and finished 10-16 in conference play.
