WAYNESBURG, Pa. (March 23) – After several days of inclement weather, the Waynesburg University softball team returned to the diamond to face the Barons of Franciscan University. The Yellow Jackets earned a split of the day's doubleheader.
 
Waynesburg (6-6) started the scoring in the bottom of the first with a RBI single from junior leftfielder Cat Allstatt that drove in sophomore centerfielder Courtney Syfert. In the next frame, freshman Tara Staley teed off on a solo homerun that cleared the left-center wall to give Waynesburg the 2-0 lead after two innings.
 
From there, the Jackets scored six more runs to win 8-0 in five innings. Junior pitcher Courtney Messenger recorded her fourth win of the season (4-3) after working all five innings of the win. She allowed four hits and one walk, while recording five strikeouts.
 
Game two started on a higher note for the visitors, as the Barons (6-4) took an early lead with two runs in the first. Franciscan added two more runs in the top half of the second to extend its lead to 4-0. Waynesburg recorded its first hit in the bottom of the second, and recorded its first run of the contest, when freshman right fielder Marlee Ott scored on a single to centerfield by Syfert.
 
The score remained at 4-1 until the bottom of the sixth when the Jackets added another run to cut the deficit at two (4-2). Sophomore Rachel Skon lined a ball up the middle that brought in sophomore Ashley Dubovich from second base. Franciscan held on in the seventh to take the game 4-2.
 
Freshman pitcher Emma Kubalak gathered the loss after two innings of work. She allowed four runs, all earned, on six hits with two walks and a strikeout.
 
Waynesburg returns to the diamond tomorrow to face Pitt-Greensburg. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.