Northwest Wayne News

The Wayne State University softball team concluded its 2024 season with two losses in the GLIAC Tournament, ending their campaign with a 17-30 overall record. The Warriors faced defeats against Ferris State and Parkside on the tournament's opening day.

In the first game, neither Wayne State nor Ferris State scored in the initial innings. However, Ferris State surged ahead in the third inning with eight runs from eight hits and two walks. Maddie Gkekas contributed a two-run double, while Abby Meyer and Ella McDonald added to the lead with RBI hits. Jadyn Joseph and Alexis Kozlowski also drove in runs.

Wayne State responded in the fourth inning with three runs, thanks to a three-run double by freshman Sydney Long. Despite efforts to close the gap, Ferris State secured additional runs, leading to a final score of 10-3.

Senior pitcher Alexis Bonk allowed five earned runs over two-plus innings for Wayne State, while Aryn Gallacher held Wayne State to three earned runs over seven innings for Ferris State.

In their second game against Parkside, both teams missed early scoring opportunities. Wayne State took an initial lead in the third inning when Rylie Josephson scored following a sacrifice fly by Kiley Lewandowski. Parkside equalized in the fourth inning through Rylee Baetz's leadoff double and Haley Remington's single.

Parkside broke the tie in the seventh inning with three more runs. Despite a late effort from Wayne State, which included scoring one run and placing runners in scoring positions, they fell short with a final score of 4-2.

Sophomore Sasha Buckberger pitched for Wayne State, allowing four runs (two earned) over seven innings. Ellie Curtis claimed victory for Parkside after limiting Wayne State to two earned runs over nearly seven innings.

Looking forward to next season, Wayne State will see five seniors graduate but has already signed new recruits including catcher/outfielder Abby Barnes and several others who are expected to join for 2025 under head coach Nicole Tines.