Wayne State used a two-run homer from freshman Jordyn Rochholz combined with strong pitching from Sami Felt and Grace Lucka to lead the Wildcats in a 3-1 win over Northern State Saturday afternoon to gain a split in a Northern Sun Conference softball doubleheader after the Wolves won the opener 8-4. WSC is now 6-28 and 2-8 in the NSIC while Northern State is 18-16 and 4-10 in conference play.
The opener saw the Wildcats get off to a quick start as the Wildcats scored three runs in the bottom of the first for the early lead. Mary Krystofiak’s three-run homer over the center field wall brought home Jordyn Klein and Jordyn Rochholz to get WSC the early edge.
The score stayed 3-0 until the fourth when Northern State scored five runs on four hits that included a three-run homer for a 5-3 lead. The Wolves added three more in the fifth on another three-run homer for an 8-3 advantage.
WSC closed the scoring with one run in the sixth as Lillie Timm singled with pinch-runner Abby Husing later scoring on a groundout by Lauren Laudick to make the final score 8-4.
NSU held a 10-7 edge in hits over the Wildcats. Timm had a pair of singles, going 2 for 3 with a run scored. Krystofiak had a three-run homer while Emilee Marth doubled. Rochholz, Louisa Stowman and Hayley Murphy each recorded singles.
Starting pitcher Sami Felt was tagged with the loss, working the first four innings. Junior Grace Lucka pitched the remaining three innings for the ‘Cats.
The second game saw a scoreless contest until the third when Rochholz belted a two-run homer over the left field wall, scoring Klein who singled to open the inning giving WSC a 2-0 lead.
After Northern State scored in the top of the fifth cutting the WSC lead to 2-1, the ‘Cats got the run right back as Marth opened the frame with a leadoff single and crossed home plate on a Dylan Sweeney sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead after four innings.
Reliver Grace Lucka then shut down Northern State the rest of the way, firing three innings of scoreless relief to get the save for starter Sami Felt. Felt gave up an unearned run on three hits with three strikeouts while Lucka fanned five batters in the remaining three innings to collect her first save of the season.
Wayne State had seven hits in the win, led by Rochholz going 2 for 3 with a two-run homer, double and two RBI. Klein was 2 for 3 with a run scored while Marth, Murphy and Annika Manzanares each recorded singles.
Wayne State is on the road Wednesday afternoon for an NSIC doubleheader at Southwest Minnesota State starting at 2 p.m.
