WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 5) – The Waynesburg University softball team hosted Grove City for a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader on Thursday. After suffering a heart-breaking loss in game one, the Yellow Jackets rebounded to pick up the split in game two.
 
Waynesburg (6-14, 2-2) led for the majority in the opener and was ahead of Grove City (8-7, 2-2) 3-2 going into the top of the seventh inning. Unfortunately, a throwing error on a play that would have secured the second out of the frame and kept the bases empty, opened the flood gates to three Wolverine runs that put them up two.
 
The Jackets put themselves in position to send the contest into extra innings or win it outright when they loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately, a pop up to the shortstop ended the rally.
 
Senior Courtney Messenger (East Liverpool, Ohio / Beaver Local) cruised into the seventh and looked primed to secure her fourth win of the season, but instead suffered the loss after giving up four earned runs over a seven-inning complete game. She gave up 10 hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out four.
 
Game two saw GCC take advantage of a first-inning Wolverine error that led to a 1-0 Jacket edge. The visitors answered with a run in the second and two more in the third that gave them a 3-1 lead.
 
The Jackets bounced back to tie the game on the third with RBI singles from junior catcher Rachel Skon (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brashear) and senior first baseman Alex Lawrence (Bridgeville, Pa. / Chartiers Valley). The Orange and Black regained the advantage (4-3) in the fourth when junior second baseman Ashley Dubovich lifted a sacrifice fly into the outfield that allowed junior leftfielder Taylor Staley (Waynesburg, Pa. / Waynesburg Central) to sprint home with the go-ahead run.
 
The Jackets put the game out of reach in the sixth, when they pounced on Grove City for six runs. A pair of errors directly led to two of the half-dozen scores and Skon came up with the big hit the Jackets needed with a two-run single with the bases loaded.
 
The Wolverines rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the second, but Messenger, who came into the game in relief of sophomore starter Emma Kubalak (Spring Mills, Pa. / Penns Valley) in the fifth, snuffed out the comeback try to pick up the save.
 
Kubalak was solid in securing the victory over her four innings of work. She allowed three runs, only one of which was earned, on just two hits and no walks. Messenger allowed a pair of runs, both earned, on five hits and no walks.
 
Skon had a very productive day during the split. She went six-for-eight with two doubles three RBI and five runs scored. She slugged 1.000 for day.
 
Lawrence added a four-for-eight effort with two RBI. Sophomore Tara Staley (Waynesburg, Pa. / Waynesburg Central), who pinch-hit in game one and played third in game two, added a three-for-five performance.
 
As a team, the Yellow Jackets banged out 25 hits.
 
Waynesburg returns to the diamond on Saturday for a doubleheader at PAC-leading Saint Vincent. Start time is scheduled for 2 p.m.