The Wildcats fell in a pair of games to Minnesota Duluth Saturday by scores of 10-1 (5 innings), and 9-1 (5 innings) in St. Cloud, Minnesota at the Huskie Dome. UMD improves to 21-10 on the season with a 2-4 record in the NSIC while WSC falls to 4-26 on the year with a 0-6 NSIC record.
GAME ONE: MINNESOTA DULUTH 10 WAYNE STATE 1 (5 Innings)
The Bulldogs would take the lead in the first inning 3-0 on the Wildcats after racking up five hits to open the game. Designated player Louisa Stowman would get the first hit of the game for the Wildcats in the second inning with a single up the middle. UMD would go on to add four more runs in the bottom half of the second inning to extend their lead to 7-0. Hayley Murphy would hit a double in the top of the third for the Wildcats and go on to score after a Bulldogs error to cut into the lead at 7-1. Jordyn Rochholz would also single for the Wildcats in the third. The Bulldogs would continue their offensive day, tacking on three more runs in the third to make the game 10-1. The Bulldogs would go on to win the game in five innings by a final score of 10-1.
Stowman was the leading batter for the Wildcats going 2-2 from the plate with a pair of singles. Sophie Stuart was the losing pitcher for the Wildcats, falling to 0-6 on the season. Callie Carraher would pitch 1.1 innings in relief for WSC.
GAME TWO: MINNESTOA DULUTH 9 WAYNE STATE 1 (5 Innings)
Minnesota Duluth would take the lead early in the second game and not look back, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning to go up 2-0. Mary Krystofiak would single up the middle in the second inning giving the Wildcats their first hit of the contest. UMD would add a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to go up 4-0 after two innings. Wildcat left fielder Jordyn Klein would triple to get the second hit of the game for the ‘Cats. The Bulldogs extended the lead in the bottom half of the third making it 6-0. In the fourth, Krystofiak would force a walk which would bring in Dylan Sweeney as a pinch runner for the ‘Cats. That was followed up by an infield single by Stowman. Emilee Marth would bring in a runner after a RBI single up the middle making the score 6-1 in favor of the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs would score three more runs with two in the fourth and one in the fifth to go on and win the game in five innings 9-1 over the Wildcats.
Klein was the leading batter for WSC in the loss going 2-3 from the plate while Marth would go 1-2 from the plate with an RBI in the loss. Sami Felt would be the losing pitcher for the Wildcats, falling to 1-11 on the season. Grace Lucka would pitch 1.2 innings in relief for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats will be at home next weekend hosting MSU Moorhead Saturday at 12 p.m. and Northern State Sunday in a 12 p.m. doubleheader at the Pete Chapman Softball Complex.
