Courtney Messenger and Alex Lawrence both donned the orange and black from 2016-19 as members of the Waynesburg University softball team. Both stars left their marks in Waynesburg lore as Messenger was the programs all-time wins leader (40), and Lawrence belted more career doubles (40) than any other Yellow Jacket.

As the saying goes, records are made to be broken. Nearly five years later, and broken they were.

A 60-or-so degree sunbathed day quickly turned to a frigid 40-degree night at historic West Field, home of the Chatham University softball team and former part-time home to the Negro League's Homestead Grays, as Sydney Wilson and Ella Brookman etched their names into the Waynesburg record books. 

Wilson tied Messenger's career wins record in game one with a complete game, one-hit masterpiece and set the program record with win 41, a five-inning, run-rule shutout, in game two while Brookman cracked a line-drive double to center in the first inning of game two to best Lawrence's 40-double mark.

"Syd and Ella definitely are at the top of the list of great players in program history," Brett Shimek, head softball coach, said. "I'm so proud of everything that they've accomplished but I'm just as proud of how much they have grown off the field." 

From the start of game one, it was clear that Wilson, the reigning two-time Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Pitcher of the Year, was in control against the Cougars as she punched out six batters and held the home side hitless across 5.2 innings before a base knock to left broke up the no-no bid.

Wilson notched a backwards K to end the sixth and proceeded to send the home side down with strikeouts eight, nine and 10 in the seventh to seal the 3-0 win and tie Messenger's five-year-old record.

"I was definitely excited after the win," Wilson said. "The record had been in the back of my mind but that wasn't the focus coming into the games. Getting two wins was all that mattered."
 

Following a pair of Waynesburg flyouts to start game two, Brookman, not even thinking about the doubles record, hoped to get on base to keep the first inning alive for the Orange and Black.

"I'm a very patient hitter and that's what makes me the most successful when I'm batting," Brookman said. "When I step into the batters box, I'm looking for my pitch."

Her strategy was on full display as she worked the count even at two before roping a hard-hit line drive to center that just got down in front of the center fielder. Hustling out of the box she slid into second with her record-setting 41st career double. She later scored on a Trinity Edge single.

"I couldn't stop smiling when I got on second," Brookman proclaimed. "Makes me feel that all my hard work actually paid off," she said to broadcasting student Logan Lepsicopo following the Jackets' 12-0 game two win.

Shimek echoed Brookman's excitement and joy.

"Ella has been so clutch over the past 3.5 years and I was really happy for Ella," he said. "When it's all over this year, she's going to go down as one of the best to ever put on the Yellow Jackets uniform."
 

Brookman is the programs career doubles and triples (12) leader. She is just six RBIs shy of Amanda Baughman's program record (106), eight hits shy of tying Brin Hunter's career mark (152) and nine walks shy of Baughman and Jasmine Blackwell's program record (48).

"Ella deserves every single record that she will soon hold," Wilson said. "On and off the field, Ella leads by example, and I love having her as a teammate."

Shimek deviated from his normal strategy of pitching Autumn Stemple and Wilson during doubleheaders. Shimek said that he, along with assistant coaches Matt Tedrow and Bill Herbert, had a couple different strategic plans in place depending on how the pitching staff was feeling.

"In talking with Syd pregame, she felt great and we discussed the potential of her throwing both games," Shimek said. "Syd's the ultimate competitor and someone that is always up for the challenge. We checked in with her between games, and she wanted the ball in game two."

"Coming into the matchup, I was not aware I was going both games," Wilson said. "Coach Brett asked after game one if I would be able to, and I told him I could."

The Jackets' offense built her a commanding 5-0 lead after three and grew that lead to 12-0 after four innings. Wilson allowed just four hits and limited the Cougars to a bevy of weak-contact outs, including the final out, a grounder to second that sealed the record-setting victory.

"I was ecstatic after getting the second win," Wilson said. "Only being a junior, it was such a surreal moment."

Shimek said there is no better feeling than just giving the ball to Wilson in any game.

"Syd was the missing piece that this program needed two years ago," Shimek said. "She's been nothing short of amazing, and I know whenever she takes the ball, we're going to win."

Brookman heaped praise on to Wilson and her ability to dominate each time she gets the ball.

"It's almost like nothing else in the game matters when Syd's in the circle," she said. "Syd is an unbelievable softball player and has been a huge part of our success in the past two seasons."

While individual accolades and personal achievements are great, Wilson and Brookman know that winning the PAC Championship for a third straight season, a feat not accomplished since Bethany amassed six consecutive conference crowns from 1999-2004, remains the ultimate goal.

"A lot of people think we can't win it again," Brookman said. "But we want to prove them wrong, and we know that we will prove them wrong."

"People were looking down on us after our loss to Thiel," Wilson said to Lepiscopo following her game two win. "But we are still Waynesburg and we're still gonna come and win the PAC."

A third PAC championship is certainly in Shimek's sights; however, just getting a chance to marvel at Wilson, Brookman and rest of the Jackets' accolades and success is prize enough for the sixth-year head coach.

"We've always preached team first and when you play as a team, your individual accomplishments will always shine through," he said.