An NSIC vs. RMAC crossover began the 2025 non-conference baseball schedule for Wayne State College.
From Tucson, Arizona, the Wildcats faced UC – Colorado Springs and CSU Pueblo on Friday.
Wayne State College suffered a 10-0 loss against UC – Colorado Springs followed by a 10-9 loss to CSU Pueblo to begin their season at 0-2.
This also matches the earliest start ever to a season this year as the Wildcat baseball team is in Tucson, Arizona taking on Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play to open the 2025 season.
WSC opened the 2020 season on January 31 facing four teams in Cleburne, Texas January 31-Feb. 2.
According to Wayne State Athletics in game one, UC Colorado Springs used a five-run second inning to jump the Wildcats in WSC’s season opener this afternoon in Tucson, Arizona.
The Mountain Lions used four hits and two walked batters to score five runs in the second inning to open up the score.
UCCS out hit Wayne State 9-7 and forced WSC into one error. The Wildcats were unable to take advantage of runners in scoring position, leaving eight runners on the bases throughout the game.
After a WSC pitching change, the ‘Cats put the Mountain Lions down in order in the third but were unable to gain any traction after only getting two hits in the top of the fourth.
UCCS scored four more runs in the fourth and held a 9-0 lead all the way until the eighth inning, scoring their 10th run to close out the game.
Chase Douglas finished two for three with two singles and Cam Madsen followed up finishing two for four. Jackson Shelburne (0-1) started on the bump and struck out two batters for the Wildcats.
During the second game, WSC held a 9-8 lead as they went into the final inning before CSUP scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to take the win.
Wayne state gained a 2-1 lead after Taylor Gill was batted in from a Max Heard double. Heard would round third for home and score off a Kaden Young single to center field.
The Thunderwolves tied it up in the fourth with one run scored, then scored three runs in the fifth to take their first lead, 5-2.
WSC responded with a pair of runs scored in the sixth and seventh. Heard and Young each scored their second runs of the day to make the score 5-4.
Cam Madsen would be hit by a pitch to get on base and follow up by stealing second. Quinn McCafferty would ground out but allowed Madsen to score the tying run in the seventh. Chase Douglas would score the ‘Cats sixth run off a Heard pop fly to center.
Pueblo regained a lead, 7-6, with their two runs scored in the bottom of the seventh inning.
WSC found themselves with a two-run lead after the top of the eighth inning, after Casey Prychak, Noah Strizek, and Douglas all scoring runs.
The Thunderwolves would not stay down, scoring a single run on the bottom of the eighth. CSU Pueblo would strand two ‘Cats in the final inning. With a runner in scoring position, the Thunderwolves would score on a ground ball to Douglas. Pueblo walked it off after the ‘Cats were unable to convert the double play.
Josh Kilzer started on the mound for the Wildcats and struck out four batters. Max Heard recorded four hits in four at bats and Strizek and Young each went two for four.
