BETHANY, W.Va. (April 9) – The Waynesburg University softball team needed more than seven innings in both of its games at Bethany on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Yellow Jackets (20-8, 6-5 PAC) won in extra innings in the first game and the second game was halted due to darkness following a Bison (19-4, 6-3 PAC) rally to force extras in game two.

The opening game was a low-scoring pitchers' duel between Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va. / Clay-Battelle) and Bethany's Josie Wise. Waynesburg scored a run in the seventh to forced extra innings and a three-run eighth delivered the Jackets to a 4-2 game one win.

Waynesburg scored eight runs in the top of the first inning and looked to hold off Bethany in game two. The Bison scored seven runs with two outs and tied the game at eight in the bottom of the seventh. The game was halted due to darkness. The game will be continued if the result were to impact seeding for the PAC Tournament.

Game 1 – Waynesburg 4, Bethany 2 (9 innings)

Trailing 1-0 going into the seventh, the Yellow Jackets pushed across a run to force extra innings and Alyssa Rager's (Washington, Pa. / Trinity) RBI double keyed a three-run ninth inning in Waynesburg's 4-2 win in game one.

The Jackets managed just one hit through the first six innings against Wise. However in the top of the seventh, Grace Higgins (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) and Dilyn Roberts (Sellersburg, Indiana / Henryville) both notched bunt singles and stolen bases to put runners on second and third with nobody out. 

Rager brought Higgins home on a sacrifice fly, however Roberts was tagged out after being caught between second and third base on the play.

Bethany notched a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh but a grounder to second pushed the game into extra innings.

The Jackets had runners on second and third with two outs in the eighth but could not break through for a go-ahead run.

Higgins walked and Roberts singled to get things started for the Jackets in the ninth. Rager's ripped a double to the right field fence to bring home Higgins. Roberts scored on a sacrifice fly and Rager scampered home on a wild pitch to give the Jackets a 4-1 lead. 

Bethany struck back in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI double of its own but Wilson responded with back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to short to clinch the ballgame.

The Bison used a single, two stolen bases and a wild pitch to take a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

Bethany threatened to extend its lead in the fourth with a single, double and walk loading the bases with one out. Wilson escaped unscathed with an infield fly and strikeout to end the inning.

Higgins scored twice and stole two bases. Roberts went 2-for-2 with a run scored an d a stolen base. Rager doubled in two runs and scored in the eighth and Kaitlyn Jagielski (Imperial, Pa. / West Allegheny) had two hits. 

Wilson went the distance in the circle for the Jackets to secure the nine-inning win. She struck out 12 and allowed two earned runs on six hits and one walk.

Game 2 – Waynesburg 8, Bethany 8 (Game halted due to darkness)

After a low-scoring game one the Waynesburg bats came alive in the opening inning of game two. The Jackets scored eight runs on five hits and took advantage of two walks and a Bethany error. 

The Jackets chased Bethany's game two starting pitcher in the opening inning. Meysa Heitmann (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) had two hits in the inning, a leadoff single and a two-run double. Bella DeMark (Carnegie, Pa. / Bishop Canevin) got the scoring started with a two-RBI base hit.  

Waynesburg tabbed Wilson to start game two as well. She held Bethany off the scoreboard in the first three innings, stranding runners on second and third in the first. 

In the fourth, Bethany scored with a two-out RBI single and then swatted a three-run home run to cut the Waynesburg lead to 8-4.

The Jackets stranded multiple base runners in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings and could not add to their lead.

With two outs in the sixth and Waynesburg leading 8-6, a close call at first base on a ground ball to shortstop went to the Bison. The next batter tied the game with a two-out single before a groundout back to the pitcher ended the inning.

At that point the umpires determined to halt the game due to darkness.

At that point, Heitmann and DeMark each drove in two runs and scored once. Rager went 3-for-4 with a run scored. Roberts and Heitmann had two hits apiece.

Wilson allowed five earned runs, all with two outs, in 4.2 innings. Pressley Meadows (Annapolis, Ohio / Edison) allowed there earned in two innings and Madison Baker (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong) recorded the final out of the seventh for the Jackets.

The Jackets host Chatham for a PAC doubleheader on Saturday.