WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 24) – The Waynesburg University softball team hosted the number-one team in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), Westminster, for a conference doubleheader on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets fell to the Titans by the final scores of 8-1 and 14-5.
The opener saw Westminster (28-2, 12-2) slowly, but steadily build an 8-0 lead with a run in the second inning, a run in the fourth, three runs in the fifth and a final three-spot in the sixth. The Jackets (12-20, 3-11) broke up the shutout when a Titan error allowed sophomore
Brin Hunter (West Alexander, Pa. / McGuffey) to sprint home from third to bring about the final score of 8-1.
Four different Yellow Jackets logged one hit each in the early game, including sophomore
Reghan Benschoter (Newark, Ohio / Granville), who produced a double.
Game two got off to a much more positive start for the host squad and had Waynesburg thinking upset.
The Yellow Jackets came out swinging and took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With two outs already on the board, senior
Kayla Alderson (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) got things going with an RBI single. After Alderson advanced to third thanks to a throw home on her single and a wild pitch, the veteran scored on a single by freshman
Emma Bliss (Uniontown, Pa. / Laurel Highlands). Bliss advanced to third following a wild pitch and a single by freshman
Ella Brookman (Washington, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston). She came sprinting home thanks to a run-producing single by freshman
Sydney Senay (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan).
The home team maintained its three-run advantage until the top of the third. Unfortunately, it was at that point that a combination of the potent Westminster bats and several Jacket errors led to the Titans producing a six-run inning and taking a 6-3 advantage.
Things went from bad to worse for the Orange and Black in the top of the fifth, when the Titans produced another massive inning, this time piling up eight scores and establishing a 14-3 advantage.
To Waynesburg's credit, it didn't give up in the face of an 11-run deficit. Senay drove home the day's final two runs with a single. Unfortunately, that was as close as the Yellow Jacket comeback came to reaching fruition.
Waynesburg was only outhit in game two by a slim 11-10 margin. However, they were handicapped by a slew of errors that led to multiple unearned runs. Bliss tied for the game lead with three hits, while Senay collected a pair of knocks.
After playing their final home game of the season, The Jackets are scheduled to hit the road tomorrow for their fifth and sixth games played over three days. Waynesburg will face off with the Bethany Bison in a Sunday doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
