LATROBE, Pa. (April 21) – The Waynesburg University softball team traveled to Saint Vincent on Friday for a crucial Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) matchup between two of three teams tied for first place in the conference. After dropping the opener 3-0, the Yellow Jackets bounced back by picking up a 4-0 win and salvaging a split.
 
Game one started out as a true pitchers' duel. Sophomore Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va. / Clay Battelle) matched her opponent in the circle through four scoreless innings. Saint Vincent (22-10, 12-4) broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fifth and added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Three different Jackets (23-7, 12-4) picked up one hit each in the opener. Wilson gave up two earned runs on seven hits, all singles, and no walks. The southpaw notched a pair of strikeouts in her latest outing.
 
Needing a jolt to the offense, head coach Brett Shimek shuffled his lineup for game two. The moves paid off in a big way, as Waynesburg quadrupled its hits total, gathered five doubles and stole two bases.
 
Waynesburg immediately got to work on offense by taking advantage of a wild pitch on a strike three during the at-bat of senior Brin Hunter (West Alexander, Pa. / McGuffey). Hunter sprinted to first and moved to second on a bunt single by sophomore Grace Higgins (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan). After freshman Alyssa Rager (Washington, Pa. / Trinity) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, junior Sydney Senay (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to put her team up 1-0.
 
That run proved to be all the offense needed for freshman Autumn Stemple (Morgantown, W.Va. / University), who bounced back from a rough outing against Grove City with a seven-inning complete game showing. Stemple scattered eight hits, six of which were singles, and two walks in blanking Saint Vincent.
 
The rookie righty maintained Waynesburg's 1-0 advantage until the sixth inning, when Hunter doubled home freshman Kassidy Trimble (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg South). Another rookie, Bella DeMark (Carnegie, Pa. / Bishop Canevin) provided the final two runs of the day when she ripped a two-run double in the top of the seventh that sent sophomore Mackenzie Kearns (Elizabeth, Pa. / Elizabeth Forward) and junior Ella Brookman (Washington, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) sprinting home.
 
Playing like the captain she is, Hunter led the charge in Waynesburg's latest win. She went three-for-four with a double, a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored. Senay and Trimble logged two hits each in the win. Eight different Jackets picked up at least one hit each in game two.
 
Waynesburg, which is currently tied for third in the league standings, wraps up the regular season with two crucial doubleheadesr. The Yellow Jackets face Allegheny, which is currently in second place in the PAC standings, for a Tuesday twin bill. Saturday's season finale features a visit from league-leading Westminster.
 
Waynesburg is locked into one of the top six playoff spots for the upcoming PAC tournament. However, the Yellow Jackets trail Westminster by just one game for the top spot in the standings.