MYRTLE, S.C. (March 4) – The Waynesburg University softball team played a pair of games at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic on Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets defeated Wilson 5-3 to open the day and followed that up with a walk-off 1-0 victory in eight innings over Saint Elizabeth.
 
The Jacket (8-2) bats got to work early against the Phoenix (8-2) by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Meysa Heitmann (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) reached base on a one-out error and moved to second on a single by senior Braylee Corbin (Petersburg, W.Va. / Petersburg. Junior Jamie Kelly (Front Royal, Va. / Skyline) brought in the game's first run by singling home Heitmann. Sophomore Graeson Grubbs (Volant, Pa. / Wilmington) doubled her team's advantage by lifting a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Corbin to cross home plate.
 
Wilson tied things up at 2-2 in the bottom of the second, before the third and fourth frames yielded no further runs. The Jackets recorded the eventual game-winning scores in the top of the fifth. Junior Kaitlyn Sullivan (Monaca, Pa. / Central Valley) started things off with a one-out double and moved up to third on a flyout.
 
Heitmann gave her team the lead back with an RBI single. She proceeded to steal second and then score on an error during a Corbin at-bat. Once again, the Phoenix answered quickly as they scored their final tally of the contest in the bottom of the frame.
 
Following a scoreless sixth, Waynesburg picked up an insurance run in the top of the seventh with two outs on the board. Corbin doubled and then scored on a two-bagger by Kelly to bring about the eventual final score.
 
Sophomore Madison Baker (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong) posted her first complete game of the season to improve to 2-1 in the circle. She allowed three earned runs on seven hits, six of which were singles, and no walks. She struck out a pair of Phoenix hitters on her way to the victory.
 
Corbin and Kelly both went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double to power the Waynesburg offense.
 
Game two was all about defense and pitching as Waynesburg and Saint Elizabeth (2-4) combined for just eight singles through seven innings, before the contest went to extras.
 
After posting a one-two-three top of the eighth and stranding the runner placed at second to start the frame, Kelly beat out a bunt single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Following a lineout, Grubbs stepped up and walked it off for Waynesburg with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
 
Freshman Emily Pratt (Bedford, Pa. / Bedford) put together her best game as a Yellow Jacket by recording her first collegiate complete game and improving to 2-0 on the season. She gave up just five singles and one walk while leading the Orange and Black to their second shutout win of the year.
 
Waynesburg wraps up its run at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic tomorrow with a noon rematch against Saint Elizabeth and a 2 p.m. showdown with Wilkes.