MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 1) – For the second-straight day, the Waynesburg university softball team played three games at the Fast Pitch Dreams Spring Classic. For the second-straight day, the Yellow Jackets picked up a pair of victories.
 
Waynesburg (4-2) got things going with a 7-1 win over Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) rival Grove City (1-2) in a non-PAC matchup. The Jackets fell 7-0 to Shawnee State, a 10-0 NAIA squad, but bounced back with a 5-3 victory against a solid Mary Washington (4-5) squad.
 
Game one saw the Jackets utilize a pitcher-by-committee approach that limited the Wolverines to seven hits, six of which were singles. Sophomore Kayla Gratton (Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway) got the start and the win after two innings of two-hit, shutout ball. Freshman Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va. / Clay Battelle) dominated over her three innings of work. The lefty gave up two hits, but struck out five and didn't walk a batter. Sophomore Ella Brookman (Washington, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) gave up Grove City's lone run on three hits during her two innings of work.
 
Waynesburg picked up all the runs it needed for the win in the top of the first inning. Brookman got things going with an RBI single that scored junior catcher Brin Hunter (West Alexander, Pa. / McGuffey). Three batters later, sophomore third baseman Sydney Senay (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) drove in the eventual game-winning tally with a double that scored sophomore first baseman Emma Bliss (Uniontown, Pa. / Laurel Highlands). Freshman shortstop Jessica Rothka (Eighty Four, Pa. / Bentworth) closed up the big frame with a run-scoring double that sent Senay home and made the score 3-0.
 
The Jacket lead doubled in the third thanks to junior leftfielder Reghan Benschoter (Newark, Ohio / Granville) teeing off on a three-run homer that allowed Rothka and Senay to trot home and make the score 6-0. It was the team' first long ball of the spring.
 
Benschoter struck again in the top of the seventh for Waynesburg's final run of the game. This time she doubled in Rothka and put her team up 7-0. Grove City scored in the bottom of the seventh, but that was as close as its comeback attempt came to fruition.
 
Seven different Jackets logged at least one hit each in the win. Hunter, Senay, Rothka and Benschoter logged a pair of knocks each.
 
Game two saw Shawnee score a run in the first, two in the second and four in the seventh to pick up the win. Brookman doubled to lead the Waynesburg offense.
 
Once again, the Jackets utilized a three-woman pitching attack. Gratton took the loss after starting and allowing three runs, two of which were earned on five hits and no walks. Wilson posted another scoreless relief effort, this time giving up just two hits and no walks with four strikeouts. Brookman gave up the final four runs during her inning of work.
 
Waynesburg overcame an early 3-0 deficit to down Mary Washington. A pair of Jacket errors led to three unearned runs scored by Eagles.
 
The Orange and Black began its comeback when Hunter doubled in freshman centerfielder Dilyn Roberts (Sellersburg, Ind. / Henryville) to make the score 3-1. Senay drew Waynesburg closer to Mary Washington with an RBI single that sent Hunter sprinting home with her team's second run of the late contest.
 
The Jackets completed the comeback in the sixth when Bliss doubled in sophomore right fielder Kara May (Indian Head, Pa. / Connellsville) and Wilson. Waynesburg manufactured a valuable insurance run when Hunter grounded out with runners in scoring position. That play allowed Gratton to score and bring about the final score of 5-3.
 
Mary Washington put the game-tying run at the plate in the seventh, Wilson wrapped up the complete-game win with a strikeout and a flyout. She recorded the victory after allowing no earned runs on six hits, five of which were singles, no walks and six strikeouts.
 
Hunter paced the Waynesburg offense with two doubles. Roberts logged a pair of singles.
 
After playing six games in two days, Waynesburg will enjoy a well-deserved day off before returning to the diamond on Thursday. The Yellow Jackets are scheduled to open the day with a 10 a.m. game against Widner, which they defeated 7-6 on Monday.