Northwest Wayne News

The Wayne State University softball team is set to begin its 2025 season this Friday at the Lincoln Memorial Tournament in Harrogate, Tennessee. The tournament schedule has been condensed to one day due to anticipated bad weather over the weekend.

The Warriors will play against the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers at noon, followed by a match with the host team, the Railsplitters, at 4 p.m. They will conclude their participation in the tournament with a game against Davis & Elkins Senators at 6 p.m.

Wayne State holds a historical advantage over Kentucky Wesleyan with nine wins out of thirteen encounters. Their last meeting was in 2015 when Wayne State won 3-1. The Warriors have only faced Lincoln Memorial once before, winning that game 1-0 during the North Georgia Tournament in 2015. Against Davis & Elkins, Wayne State leads the series with three wins out of five games.

Leading Wayne State's lineup are senior Rylie Josephson and sophomore Logan Forman, both recognized for their performances last season. Senior Mady Ruczynski and other returning players like Maddie Hool and Madison Martinez are also expected to contribute significantly. Head Coach Nicole Tines has strengthened the team by adding six freshmen and utility player Danielle Fick from Notre Dame College.

Kentucky Wesleyan's standout players include junior catcher Kennedy Matheis and sophomore outfielder Chloe Apple. Senior pitcher Immi Mann has completed three games this season under head coach Miles Mallette's guidance.

For Lincoln Memorial, junior Anna Kate Reichter leads offensively while senior pitcher Halle Grace Patton heads their pitching staff under head coach Ritchie Richardson.

Davis & Elkins features strong performances from senior Lina Gutierrez and junior Ashlyn Zapach. Head coach Elle Fracker has utilized six pitchers this season as they look to improve their record.

Following these games, Wayne State will participate in the Lewis University Dome Invitational in Chicago next weekend.