MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 9) – The Waynesburg University softball team dominated both of its Thursday contests at the Fast Pitch Dreams Spring Classic. The Yellow Jackets downed both Bridgewater State and Medaille by the final score of 9-1.
 
Game one saw both Waynesburg (6-2) and the Bears (2-7) fail to score over the first two innings of play. Bridgewater opened the scoring with an unearned run in the top of the third and maintained its slim advantage until the bottom of the fifth, when the Orange and Black bats woke up and put the game away.
 
Sophomore Grace Higgins (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) got things rolling with a one-out single and proceeded to steal second and move to third on a wild pitch. She had a much leisurely trip home thanks to a game-tying triple by sophomore Mackenzie Kearns (Elizabeth, Pa. / Elizabeth Forward). Kearns came into score during the ensuing at-bat thanks to a wild pitch.
 
With Waynesburg already up 2-1, freshman Bella DeMark (Carnegie, Pa. / Bishop Canevin) singled and then was pinch-run for by classmate Jasmine Demaske (Waynesburg, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan)  Demaske proceeded to steal a base and used back-to-back wild pitches to score her team's third run.
 
After Bridgewater went down in order in the top of the sixth, the Jackets put the contest away early with six scores in the bottom of the frame. Junior Ella Brookman (Washington, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) got things started with a double. After advanced to third on a wild pitch, Brookman sprinted home on an error during the at-bat of junior Sydney Senay (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan).
 
Another Bridgewater error allowed junior Emma Bliss (Uniontown, Pa. / Laurel Highlands) to reach base. More miscues by the Bears allowed Waynesburg to build a 6-1 lead. Freshman Kassidy Trimble (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg South) chipped in an RBI fielder's choice that extended the Jacket advantage to six runs (7-1). Waynesburg closed out the contest an inning early when senior Brin Hunter (West Alexander, Pa. / McGuffey) drilled a two-run double that brought about the final score of 9-1.
 
Brookman and Kearns led the offensive charge for the Jackets by both going two-for-three with an extra-base hit. Eight different Waynesburg base runners scored at least one run each, with Higgins scoring twice.
 
Freshman Autumn Stemple (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) got the start in the circle and took a no-decision after allowing one unearned run on one hit and one walk over four innings. Stemple logged six strikeouts to run her season total to 33 over 17.2 innings. Sophomore Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va. / Clay-Battelle) logged two sterling innings of relief to record the victory. The reigning Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Pitcher of the Year retired all six batters she faced on four strikeouts and two groundouts.
 
Game two, which pitted the Jackets against Medaille (4-4), again opened with two scoreless innings. Waynesburg struck first by plating two runs in the top of the third, the first coming when Demaske stole third base and then hurried home thanks to a Maverick error. Run number two came courtesy of a Hunter double that plated sophomore Dilyn Roberts (Sellersburg, Indiana / Henryville).
 
The Mavericks cut their deficit in half with an RBI groundout in the fourth, but the Jackets piled up seven runs in the sixth to end the late game early. Senay and Brookman both posted RBI base hits, while both Hunter and freshman Alyssa Rager (Washington, Pa. / Trinity) smacked two-run base knocks to put the game out of reach.
 
Waynesburg outhit the competition by a 12-1 margin and saw eight of its own collect at least one base hit each. Roberts, Hunter, Brookman and Rager logged two knocks each in the victory. Hunter posted a game-high three base hits, while Roberts and Demaske both scored a pair of runs.
 
Wilson tossed a complete game to earn the win in the circle. She allowed the one earned run on one hit and three walks, while collecting four strikeouts.
 
With both of Friday's games being rained out, the Yellow Jackets will leave South Carolina with a 6-2 record. They are scheduled to return to action on Saturday, March 18, when they travel to Penn State Du Bois. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.