GREENVILLE, Pa. (April 5) – The Waynesburg University softball team traveled to Thiel on Tuesday for a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader. The Yellow Jackets won their fifth-straight game with a 6-3 triumph in game one, before falling 12-7 in the late contest.
 
Freshman Courtney Messenger won her fourth-straight decision in the pitching circle for Waynesburg (11-13, 3-1). She gave up three earned runs over a seven-inning complete game. Messenger allowed seven hits, six of which were singles, and didn't walk an opposing hitter. The first-year standout struck out three in the winning effort.
 
After neither team allowed a run over the first two innings, Waynesburg struck first in the top of the third. Freshman first baseman Alex Lawrence, the reigning PAC Hitter of the Week, singled home freshman third baseman Sabrina Stankus for the game's first run. Two batters later, freshman right fielder Cat Allstatt lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed freshman shortstop Keri Renzler to sprint home and double her team's advantage.
 
Thiel (7-9, 1-1) responded with a two-spot of its own in the bottom of the third, before taking its first lead (3-2) in the bottom of the fourth. The visiting team re-tied the score in the top of the fifth when senior leftfielder Katey Potopenko doubled in Lawrence.
 
The contest was ultimately decided in the seventh, when Waynesburg scored three to seal the victory. Junior second baseman Ashley Demarco scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Renzler. Lawrence capped the triumph by teeing off on a two-run homer, her team-leading third of the year.  
 
Game two saw Thiel jump out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. The Jackets responded to the opposition's challenge by scoring three times in the third. Renzler singled home Demarco, before Potopenko belted a two-run, game-tying double.
 
The Tomcats regained the edge with a tally in the bottom of the fourth, before Waynesburg grabbed its first advantage of the late contest. Junior catcher Mackenzie Smith slapped a two-run double down the right field line that pushed Allstatt and Potopenko across home plate, making the score 5-4.
 
Unfortunately, Thiel put together the biggest inning of the day by racking up six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Waynesburg pulled to within three runs at 10-7 thanks to a two-spot in its half of the sixth, but that's as close it came to completing the comeback. The Cats closed out the scoring with two in the sixth.
 
Offense ruled in game two, as the two teams combined for 29 hits, 13 of which came from Waynesburg. Every starting Jacket in the field collected at least one hit each, including two each for Renzler, Potopenko, Smith and Demarco.
 
Allstat suffered the loss in relief after giving up six runs, four of which were earned, over 1.1 innings. Senior Stephanie Kotomski started and gave up four runs, one of which was earned, over the first three frames.
 
Waynesburg returns to competition on Saturday, April 9, when it hosts Thomas More for a PAC doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.