MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 8) – The Waynesburg University softball team played a pair of games on Wednesday at the Fast Pitch Dreams Spring Classic. The Yellow Jackets rolled to a 12-2 win over Penn State Abington to open the day, but couldn't make an early lead hold up during a 6-2 setback against North Carolina Wesleyan.
 
Waynesburg (4-2) jumped on Abington (4-2) immediately. After sophomore pitcher Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va. / Clay-Battelle) recorded a one-two-three top of the first with two strikeouts, the Yellow Jackets got all the offense they needed in the bottom of the frame. Junior Ella Brookman (Washington, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) connected on the first of two triples in the contest, which brought home a pair of runs.
 
Two batters later, junior Sydney Senay (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) posted an RBI groundout that made the score 3-0. Run number four came during the ensuing at-bat, which saw Wilson reach base on an error.
 
Already leading 4-0, the Jackets doubled their advantage in the bottom of the second thanks to two hits, two errors and a walk. Senior Reghan Benschoter (Newark, Ohio / Granville) picked up an RBI single, before coming home on a two-run double by Wilson.
 
Abington got a run back in the top of the third, but Waynesburg responded with a three spot in the bottom of the frame. After freshman Bella DeMark (Carnegie, Pa. / Bishop Canevin) and Jasmine Demaske (Waynesburg, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) produced back-to-back singles, Brookman drilled her second two-run three-bagger to make the score 10-1.
 
Benschoter followed with a run-scoring single that grew the advantage to 11-1.
 
Abington tallied its final score in the top of the fourth, before the Jackets produced the final run of the contest in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Paige McAvoy (Carnegie, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) beat out an infield single and eventually crossed home plate on an RBI groundout by another rookie: Emily Barker (Mount Sterling, Ohio / Fayette Christian).
 
Wilson got the start in the circle, but only worked two innings, which kept her from picking up the decision. The reigning Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC) Pitcher of the Year faced just eight batters. She yielded one hit, hit one batter and posted three strikeouts. Brookman, who moved from first base to the circle, earned her first pitching win of the season. She allowed a pair of earned runs on four hits and two walks, while posting her first strikeout of the young 2023 campaign.
 
With the win, Brookman joined Wilson and freshman Autumn Stemple (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) in the victory column for Jacket pitchers.
 
Speaking of Stemple, the impressive rookie got the ball to start the late contest against a potent North Carolina Wesleyan (8-3) squad that was coming off a victory over 15^th-ranked Randolph Macon on Sunday.
 
Things started well for the first-year righty, who matched her pitching opponent goose egg for goose egg over the game's first three innings. Over that same stretch, Stemple racked up five strikeouts, running her season total to 25 at that point.
 
The Jackets broke up the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth, when senior Brun Hunter (West Alexander, Pa. / McGuffey) walked and came around to score on an RBI double by Brookman. Unfortunately, not only would that be the last run Waynesburg scored until the top of the sixth, but the Battlin' Bishops became the first team to get to Stemple in her young collegiate career.
 
Wesleyan tied the game in the bottom of the fourth before scoring the eventual game-winning tallies on a two-run homer that made the score 3-1. The Bishops posted their final three runs of the night in their half of the fifth to move ahead 6-1.
 
The Jackets chipped away at their deficit in the top of the sixth when Senay brought home Hunter with a single. The Orange and Black kept Wesleyan off the board in the bottom of the frame and managed to put a runner on in the top of the seventh, but that was as far its rally attempt lasted, before the game's final out was posted.
 
A pair of Waynesburg errors played a major role in the loss as they led to three unearned runs. Stemple suffered her first collegiate defeat after working the first 3.2 innings of the contest. She allowed half of Wesleyan's six runs, but only one of them was earned. Stemple gave up six hits and walked one opposing hitter, while piling up seven strikeouts, giving her 27 over just 13.2 innings pitched.
 
Wilson worked the final 2.1 innings of the contest and was charged with two earned runs on three hits, no walks and no strikeouts.
 
Junior Emma Bliss (Uniontown, Pa. / Laurel Highlands) put together her best day at the plate of 2023 by going two-for-two with a double and a walk.
 
The Jackets get back to work tomorrow morning when they face Bridgewater State for a 9 a.m. matchup. Game two is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. against Medaille.