WAYNESBURG, Pa. (March 26) – The Waynesburg University softball team swept Allegheny in a high profile Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader at the Waynesburg University Baseball & Softball Complex on Wednesday afternoon.
Late-game heroics by
Camdyn Kowalczyk (Apollo, Pa. / Apollo-Ridge) and
Breanna Rice (Morgantown, W.Va. / Morgantown) delivered the Jackets to a 4-3 victory in eight innings in game one.
Meysa Heitmann hit two home runs, one inside the park and one over the fence to back up a strong
Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va. / Clay-Battelle) pitching performance in a 5-0 win in game two.
The Gators (9-9, 2-2 PAC) were picked first in the 2025 PAC preseason poll with six first-place votes. Waynesburg (15-4, 2-2 PAC) was picked third with the three first-place votes.
Game 1 – Waynesburg 4, Allegheny 3 (8 innings)
Trailing 3-0 and down to Waynesburg's final out, Kowalczyk blasted a bases-loaded double off the left-field wall to clear the bases and tie the game at three.
Pressley Meadows (Annapolis, Ohio / Edison) entered the ballgame in relief after a leadoff double by the Gators in the eighth and left two runners stranded.
In the bottom of the eighth,
Alyssa Rager (Washington, Pa. / Trinity) knocked a base hit up the middle and
Brynn Charnesky (Scottdale, Pa. / Southmoreland) re-entered in her place on first base. She stole second and advanced to third on another base hit. Rice smacked a walk-off single to right field, giving the Jackets the 4-3 win.
Waynesburg starting pitcher
Autumn Stemple (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning. The Gators broke through with the first run of the ballgame with a two-out double in the fifth. Allegheny's lead grew to 3-0 with a two-out two-run double in the seventh.
The Jackets loaded the bases in the seventh ahead of Kowalczyk's heroics.
Dilyn Roberts (Sellersburg, Indiana / Henryville) reached on an error and
Bella DeMark (Carnegie, Pa. / Bishop Canevin) and Rice both notched base hits. All three runners scored on Kowalczyk's double.
Kowalczyk, DeMark and Rice had two hits apiece. Stemple stuck out five and allowed three earned runs on four hits in seven-plus innings. Meadows picked up the as she worked out of the eighth without a hit or run allowed.
Game 2 – Waynesburg 5, Allegheny 0
Heitmann dashed around the bases for an inside the park home run on a sinking line drive that skipped past the outstretched glove of Allegheny's center fielder in the third inning. She left no doubt with a towering home run in the fifth to put the Jackets ahead 2-0.
Waynesburg added three more runs, all with two outs, in the fifth. DeMark drove in a run with a base hit and Rager had a two-run single to push the Jacket lead to 5-0.
Wilson turned in a complete game shutout in the circle. She limited the Gators to five hits while striking out eight and walking none.
Heitmann went 3-for-3 with two home runs and a double. Higgins also had three hits and doubled. She tied Waynesburg's career stolen base record with her 43rd career swiped bag, matching Courtney Syfert ('19). DeMark drove in a run and scored while Rager had two RBI.
The Jackets head to La Roche tomorrow for a nonconference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
