The Wayne State College Wildcat softball team stands in first place in the NSIC following a 6-2 record this past week, bumping their conference mark to 19-5.

 
Last Tuesday, the Wildcats played the University of Sioux Falls, using a nine-run third inning in game one and a nine-run fourth inning in the second game to clinch the sweep. Both games were 9-1 resulting in a five-inning run rule in favor of the ‘Cats.

 
The team wasted no time. Katelyn Wobken and Emily Chandler hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the first to start the game.

 
Starter Cassy Miller fired a complete game three-hitter allowing just one run with six strikeouts to earn the pitching victory.

 
In the second game, the Wildcats kept the game short and sweet. Miller was the beneficiary of the run support, pitching four of the five innings to get the win.  She gave up one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Senior Shelby Wobken worked one inning of perfect relief.

 
Last Thursday, the ladies traveled down south to Topeka to play Washburn University in a double header.

 
Their ten hits weren’t enough to make up for having three errors in the game and leaving eight runners on base.

Those three errors are what cost them the game, leading to three unearned runs.

 
The ‘Cats don’t give up that easy. They came back in the second with 12 more hits to earn the 5-4 extra innings victory to split the non-conference softball doubleheader.

Starter Shelby Wobken saw six innings of work, giving up five hits and six runs (3 earned) to go along with three strikeouts.

 
Chandler hit her seventh home run of the season.

 
The Wildcats were able to roll with the momentum and keep the bats hot in game two, as they pounded out 12 hits over nine innings to take home the 5-4 extra innings victory over the Ichabods.

 
Both Wayne and Washburn pounded out 12 hits in the game.

 
Miller was credited with the win, allowing just three hits and one run (unearned) over three innings of work. Starting pitcher Riley VanderVeen saw five innings of work where she allowed seven hits and three runs. Sarah Macias also saw an inning of action in the game, and allowed two hits.

 
“I wouldn’t say splitting a non-conference game killed our momentum,” Alyssa Schropp said. “But it definitely made us realize that even though we are playing well, there are still things we need to work on and we can’t take any team or game lightly.”

 
Wayne split at Minnesota Duluth Saturday afternoon as the ‘Cats won the opener 6-2 before falling 8-1 in game two.

 
WSC had a late rally in the first game with a three-run fifth and two-run sixth inning to take down the Bulldogs.

 
Senior Miller worked six strong innings to pick up the win, allowing two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Senior Macias threw the final inning and allowed one hit.

 
The second game saw Minnesota Duluth salvage a split by using a four-run second inning to post an 8-1 win over the Wildcats.

WSC scored their lone run of the game in the first inning. Loos reached on a bunt single to lead off the game and later scored on Chandler’s RBI single down the left field line.

UMD tied the score with one run in the bottom of the first and took control of the game with four runs in the second.  The Bulldogs added two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth for the 8-1 victory.

S. Wobken was tagged with the pitching loss, allowing five runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings.  Miller worked the next 3 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on four hits while freshman VanderVeen pitched the final inning and was charged with one run on one hit.

“In the second game of Duluth we forgot our goal of having a team win,” Sam O’Brien said. “Against St. Could we gathered ourselves and worked as a team to get the sweep.

Wayne State College used a 6-5 win in game one and a 5-3 11 inning win in the second game to sweep St. Cloud State Sunday afternoon in St. Cloud, Minn.

 
The opener saw the Wildcats hold off a ferocious seventh inning rally by the host Huskies, who scored four runs with a grand slam. They lost hope faster than they gained it, and WSC held on for the win.

 
Miller pitched all seven innings to earn the win, allowing five runs on nine hits with nine strikeouts and one walk.

 
The second game saw Miller fire 7 2/3 innings of scoreless relief as WSC rallied to tie the game in the top of the seventh then win it with two runs in the 11th for a thrilling 5-3 victory over the Huskies to complete the sweep.

 
“It was great to be able to get the sweep,” Miller said. “St. Cloud is a good team, so it was a long battle. It was an all-around team effort, and I knew that if I could keep giving our offense chances to work, that we would come out on top.”

 
Miller then retired the Huskies in order in the 11th to seal the extra-inning win, in which WSC had 15 hits.

 
Miller was stellar in relief of starter S. Wobken to record another pitching win. S. Wobken worked the first 3 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on six hits. But Miller, now 19-13, limited the Huskies to just three hits and no runs over the final 7 2/3 innings with eight more strikeouts and just one walk to earn the victory.

 
With the two wins against St. Cloud and Minnesota Duluth sweeping Augustana, Wayne State is now in first place by one-half game over Augustana and Minnesota State.

 
Number-one Wayne State will play number-two Minnesota State Saturday at the Pete Chapman Complex at 1 and 3 p.m.