The Wayne State Wildcat softball team traveled to Emporia, Kansas to partake in the Emporia State Classic, facing Emporia State twice and played Rockhurst and Missouri-St. Louis once each.
The first game pit the Wildcats against the Tritons of Missouri-St. Louis. It was tough going early on for the Wildcats, giving up six runs in the first inning. WSC did get on the scoreboard in the second inning, plating two runs off the bats of Dylan Sweeney and Haylee Weber. The rest of the game went the way of the Tritons, as the Wildcats gave up eight runs in the second, as well as two runs in the third and fourth innings each. The final score was 18-2 after just five innings, as the Tritons run-ruled the Wildcats. WSC also had four hits from Sweeney and Emilee Marth, as well as four errors on the game. The Wildcats left only two runners left on base.
The second game saw the Wildcats square up against Emporia State for the first of two matchups between WSC and the Hornets. The Wildcats struck first, as Sweeney batted in Marth. The Wildcat defense had a tough time slowing down the Hornet offense, as Emporia State put up 11 runs across the first three innings, including a five-run side in the second. The Wildcats had their own five-run inning in the fifth off an error, allowing Lillie Timm to cross the plate. Sweeney came up to the plate with the bases loaded, and proceeded to hit a grand slam to cut the Hornets lead down to five. However, the Hornets added two more runs in the sixth and proved to be too much for the Wildcats, beating WSC 13-6. The Wildcats finished with ten hits and no errors.
Game three was the closest game WSC had on in the tournament, as they matched up with the Rockhurst University Hawks. The Hawks started strong, putting up a run in the first inning, and lead the Wildcats for the first two innings. The Wildcats got a spark in the third when Marth grounded out to third base, advancing Jordyn Rochholz to home plate. This, however, was the Wildcats lone score in the contest. Rockhurst scored another run in the sixth inning, defeating the Wildcats 2-1 in a tightly contested match. The Wildcats out hit the Hawks four to three of the bats of Rochholz, Abby Husing, Annika Manzanares, and Mary Krystofiak.
The rematch with Emporia State also ended in a seven-run loss for WSC, as the Hornets blanked the Wildcats 7-0. The Wildcats finished with only three hits, with two from Rochholz and one hit from Manzanares. WSC left three runners as base as well.
Coming out of the Emporia Classic, the Wildcats came away without a win, and fall to 1-7 on the young season. They travel next to Topeka, KS to participate in the Washburn Tournament this weekend. The Wildcats will face four teams in the Fort Hays State Tigers (6-2 overall), Central Missouri Jennies (3-4), Missouri Western State Griffons (2-2), and the Newman University Jets (6-3).