WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 15) – The Waynesburg University softball team hosted NAIA member Point Park University for a seven-inning doubleheader on Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets dropped game one 9-0 in five innings, before falling 11-7 in the late contest.
Sophomore
Demi Lewin collected both Waynesburg (9-21) hits, a single and a double, in the opener. Sophomore
Stephanie Kotomski suffered the pitching loss after working three innings in the circle. Junior
Cameron Grimes pitched the final two frames.
Game two was a much more competitive contest, thanks in large part to a vastly improved offensive effort from the Yellow Jackets. Waynesburg bounced back from its showing in the opener to pile up 11 hits.
After the Pioneers (24-14) put up a three-spot in the top of the first inning, senior
Haley Payne teed off on her team-leading fourth homerun of the season, and her second long ball in as many days to cut the deficit to 3-2. Lewin came home to score on the blast.
Following a scoreless second inning, Point Park extended its lead to 4-2 with a run in the top of the third. However, the home team responded with three scores of its own in the bottom of the frame. Grimes pulled a double down the left field line to score junior designated player
Katey Potopenko, before sophomore catcher
Mackenzie Smith ripped a double of her own to score Grimes and Potopenko and give the home team a 5-4 edge.
The home team kept its advantage until the sixth inning, when a three-spot put Point Park back ahead 7-5. The Jackets were able to answer the Pioneers' challenge one last time as Potopenko tied things up with a two-run double. Unfortunately, the visitors piled up four runs in the final frame and were able to keep the Jackets from adding to their run total.
Sophomore
Lyndi Gareis started the late contest and worked 6.2 innings in the circle. She gave up all 11 runs, seven of which were earned, on 13 hits and two walks. She also piled up five strikeouts. Potopenko faced one batter in the seventh and recorded the third out of the frame.
Lewin led the Waynesburg offense with a team-high four hits in six at-bats, one of which was a double. She also scored a squad-best two runs. Potopenko, Payne and Smith tied for the team lead with two RBI each.
The Yellow Jackets return to the diamond on Friday, April 17, with a road doubleheader at Pitt Greensburg. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
