WAYNESBURG, Pa. (March 20) – The Waynesburg University softball team hosted Saint Vincent Saturday afternoon for a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader. The Yellow Jackets managed to hold on to their lead late in the first game to win 5-4 and then comfortably roll to victory in game two with a 7-0 decision over the Bearcats.
 
Waynesburg (7-5) got out to a quick start in the first inning of game one, when sophomore catcher Brin Hunter (West Alexander, Pa. / McGuffey) tripled home senior outfielder Hannah Batovsky (New Salem, Pa. / Brownsville) for a 1-0 lead. A few batters later, freshman first baseman Emma Bliss (Uniontown, Pa. / Laurel Highlands) drove in Hunter with a single to extend its advantage to 2-0.
 
Saint Vincent (2-5-1) answered back in the fourth with a solo homerun to cut the deficit to 2-1. However, Waynesburg managed to pull away with three runs in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a two-RBI double from sophomore right fielder Reghan Benschoter (Neward, Ohio / Granville) followed up by an RBI-single from freshman third baseman Sydney Senay (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan).
 
The Bearcats battled back against Yellow Jacket starting pitcher Ella Brookman (Washington, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston), plating two runs in top of the sixth to cut the Waynesburg lead to 5-3. Saint Vincent pushed another run across in the seventh and had the tying run in scoring position with one out, but Brookman managed to get the last two batters to ground out and secure the 5-4 win.
 
The young righty finished the game allowing two earned runs on nine hits over seven innings. Hunter was the lone Jacket with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while seven total players recorded at least one hit.
 
Game two was all Waynesburg from the start, as Senay brought across the game's first run in the bottom of the first, shortly followed up by a two-RBI double by Brookman to give the home team the early 3-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the second, Benschoter brought in another run with a sacrifice fly. Waynesburg finished up its scoring in the bottom of the fifth, as Brookman drove in her third run of the game with another double, shortly followed up by a two-RBI single from senior designated player Kayla Alderson (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) to bring the score to its 7-0 final.
 
Senior pitcher Emma Kubalak (Spring Mills, Pa. / Penns Valley) was dominant in the circle. She tossed a complete-game shutout while allowing just six hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
 
Eight-of-nine Yellow Jacket starting position players recorded hits in the contest, led by Brookman, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI's. Bliss and Benschoter doubled in the late contest.
 
Waynesburg will be back in action Tuesday, March 23, when it travels to New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, to take on the Westminster Titans in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.