WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 2) – The Waynesburg University softball team split a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader against Geneva at the Waynesburg University Baseball & Softball Complex on Wednesday afternoon.
The date marked the fourth annual "Angels in the Outfield" suicide awareness games as both teams sported pregame t-shirts and purple and teal accessories for the cause.
The Yellow Jackets (17-8, 3-5 PAC) dug out of an early 2-0 hole to secure a 7-2 win in game one behind a strong pitching performance by
Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va. / Clay-Battelle). The Golden Tornadoes (15-5, 4-4 PAC) pounced an early Waynesburg miscue to build a 5-0 lead and held on for a 6-2 victory in the nightcap.
Game 1 – Waynesburg 7, Geneva 2
The Golden Tornadoes took a 2-0 lead with a two-out two-run double in the opening frame. A throwing error allow Waynesburg to answer with a run in the bottom of the inning.
After the first inning, Wilson held Geneva without a hit the rest of the way. The Golden Tornadoes managed just three baserunners the rest of the ballgame.
Meysa Heitmann (Morgantown, W.Va. / University),
Kaitlyn Jagielski (Imperial, Pa. / West Allegheny) and
Dilyn Roberts (Sellersburg, Indiana / Henryville) each drove in runs in the third as Waynesburg took a 4-2 lead.
Jagielski and pinch hitters
Bella DeMark (Carnegie, Pa. / Bishop Canevin) and
Breanna Rice (Morgantown, W.Va. / Morgantown) knocked in three more in the sixth as the Waynesburg lead stretched to 7-2. Wilson closed the ballgame with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Jackets outhit Geneva 12-2 as Wilson collected the complete game win. She fanned 10 and gave up two earned runs.
Jagielski went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run.
Grace Higgins (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) had two hits, walked, stole two bases and scored twice. Roberts notched two hits and drove in a run.
Rice had a pinch hit RBI double and DeMark drove in a run and scored as a pinch hitter in the sixth.
Game 2 – Geneva 6, Waynesburg 2
Geneva's bat came alive in game two. The Golden Tornadoes notched an RBI double but left the bases loaded in the first. The Jackets were not as fortunate in the second as Waynesburg allowed a pop fly in front of the pitcher's circle fall to the to the ground with two outs. The inning continued with a two-run single and two-run home run to put Geneva ahead 5-0.
Waynesburg stranded four runners over the first three innings, including a pair in the third.
The Golden Tornadoes tacked on another run in the fourth to lead 6-0.
The Jackets opened the fifth with back-to-back base hits but only managed one run on a ball that dropped in no-man's land down the left field line off the bat of Heitmann.
Waynesburg added a run in the sixth to bring the margin to 6-2. Rice doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a double by
Alyssa Rager (Washington, Pa. / Trinity). Pinch hitter
Tori Foust (Blairsville, Pa. / River Valley) ripped a ball down the left field line but it was tracked down and a pop out ended the inning.
Higgins knocked a double in the seventh but the Jacket were unable to bring her home as Geneva secured the conference doubleheader split.
Geneva notched 11 hits while Waynesburg had 10. Both teams recorded four extra-base hits.
Autumn Stemple (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) took the setback after allowing six runs, two earned, in 3.1 innings.
Madison Baker (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong) allowed two hits and no runs in the final 3.2 innings.
Heitmann and Higgins each had two hits and a double. Rice doubled and scored while Rager doubled and drove in one.
The Jackets continue PAC play at Franciscan on Saturday.
