Wayne State College softball continued their strong season with the help of Wildcat pitcher Kennadi Borngrebe, who threw the team’s first no-hitter in her five innings against Augustana on Tuesday.
Before the matchup with Augustana, the Wildcats split a pair of doubleheaders over the weekend against St. Cloud State and Concordia-St. Paul.
All four games were moved indoors to the Wildcat Dome due to the wet and cold weather conditions over the weekend.
St. Cloud State came into the Friday doubleheader at 25-9 overall and 7-1 in NSIC play. The Huskies were tied for first place in the NSIC coming into the game. WSC was 26-6 overall and 6-2 in NSIC games.
No offense came through between the two teams in game one until the bottom of the third inning when Wildcat shortstop, Lillie Timm homered down the left field line to put the Cats ahead 1-0.
St. Cloud State second baseman Grace Dahmen would answer back with a homer of her own to left field on a 3-1 count from Wildcat pitcher, Taylor Coleman. This would be the only offense the Huskies would mustard together in the top of the fourth, tying up the score 1-1.
It would remain a pitcher’s duel up until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Wildcats found themselves with the bases loaded due to back-to-back walks for Leah Chance and Emilee Marth.
Maddie Scobee singled up the middle to bring up Coleman. The starting pitcher would provide for herself, singling back up the middle in a 1-1 count to bring home Chance and Marth. Timm was clutch once again by roping a single down the left field line to score Scobee with two outs.
The Wildcats would hang on to win game one 4-1.
Unlike game one, it would be an offensive showcase in the first two innings between the two teams. The Huskies to start the game would get three batters to reach base on free passes from WSC’s, Kennadi Borngrebe. St. Cloud State’s, Grace Frechette would provide her only hit of game two with a ground-rule double to center field to score two Huskies.
Wildcats, Jordyn Klein and Chance would reach base to start the bottom of the first. Marth followed with a single to shortstop that would also result in a throwing error by the Huskies shortstop.
Scobee followed with a fielder’s choice, beating out a double play ball to the shortstop to score Chance from third. The Wildcats tied it up 2-2 at the end of the first frame.
St. Cloud State would continue hitting gap to gap with an onslaught of hits. While on defense shutting the Wildcats down to seven hits, leaving multiple runners in scoring position. St. Cloud State would finish game two with a 9-2 victory on 10 hits.
Wayne State then welcomed the Golden Bears of Concordia-St. Paul for the second double header. Concordia-St. Paul came into the game at 19-14 and 8-2 in NSIC games this year.
Coleman improved to 10-2 for the Wildcats in the circle. She shut out the Golden Bears in game one, holding them to only five hits and striking out 10.
WSC found themselves with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third where Borngrebe would walk to bring in the first run. Klein hit a sacrifice fly to score Masyn Bunnell to make it 2-0 Wildcats in the bottom of fourth. Wildcats left fielder Jordyn Rochholz would cap off the scoring in game one with a home run to left field. Wayne State would take game one 3-0.
If you love pitching and defense, then game two was for you. Only one run was scored between the two teams. Concordia-St. Paul would win 1-0 due to a sac fly from Ava Blake. The two teams would combine for nine strikeouts, 21 ground outs, and 12 flyouts to close out the weekend.
The Wildcats also took on Augustana on Tuesday afternoon where they swept the Vikings with a game one 6-3 victory and a 9-0 game two victory.
In game two, pitching for WSC took over. Borngrebe controlled the game from the start and threw the team’s first no hitter. She pitched 5.0 innings and allowed five walks while striking out five in her outing.
Wayne State College moves to 30-8 and 10-4 in the NSIC this year. The Wildcats will travel to Minnesota to take on Winona State and Minnesota State this upcoming Saturday and Sunday.
