WAYNESBURG, Pa. (March 28) – The Waynesburg University softball team opened Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play on Thursday with a home doubleheader against Westminster. The Yellow Jackets played 14 solid innings in front of their home crowd to earn a split with the returning conference runners-up.
 
Not only did Thursday's 4-2 victory in game two allow Waynesburg (5-13. 1-1) to get the conference portion of its season off to a solid start, but it gave the Jackets their first win over the Titans (6-10, 1-1) since April 28, 2011, a span of 12 games. The victory also ended a seven-game losing streak against PAC competition.
 
The home team opened the scoring on the day with an unearned run in the second inning of the opener. Unfortunately, the Titans answered with three runs in the top of the third and one more in the fourth to seal up the win.
 
Sophomore Emma Kubalak (Spring Mills, Pa. / Penns Valley) started and suffered the loss in the circle. She allowed four runs on three hits and three walks. Kubalak logged a strikeout in the start. Senior Courtney Messenger (East Liverpool, Ohio / Beaver Local) worked two perfect innings of relief with a strikeout to end the game.
 
Game two got off to a bit of sluggish start for the Jackets, as Westminster picked up an unearned run on the top of the first. However, Waynesburg's solid defense, which is ranked second in the conference, kept the Titans in check for most of the remainder of the contest.
 
The Jacket bats came to life in the bottom of the third with three singles in four at-bats, the last of which came off the bat of junior catcher Rachel Skon (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brashear) that plated junior shortstop Ashley Dubovich (New Salem, Pa. / Albert Gallatin) with the tying run. Senior first baseman Alex Lawrence (Bridgeville, Pa. / Chartiers Valley) followed with an RBI single of her own in the next at-bat to put Waynesburg up 2-1.
 
Westminster tied the game back up at 2-2 in the fifth, but junior Waynesburg native Taylor Staley provided the eventual game-winning hit in the bottom of the sixth. Her younger sister Tara Staley smacked a one-out double and was pinch-run for by freshman Emily Schafer (Meyersdale, Pa. / Meyersdale) to start the rally.
 
After a bunt single by freshman shortstop Megan Walker (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels) put two runners on with one out on the board, Taylor Staley stepped up and connected on a go-ahead single, which, when combined with a Westminster error, allowed both runners to score and put the home team up two.
 
Messenger and Jacket gloves did the rest, allowing just a walk to Westminster in the seventh to clinch the win.
 
The veteran righty followed up her flawless relief appearance in game one by giving up one earned run on six singles and one free pass. Messenger recorded two strikeouts in her third win of the season in the circle.
 
A balanced Waynesburg offense featured eight players combining for 11 hits over the split. Lawrence, Skon and senior Cat Allstatt (Indianapolis, Ind. / Roncalli) recorded two base knocks each.
 
Waynesburg is back in action on Thursday, April 4, when it hosts Grove City for a PAC doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.