Northwest Wayne News

The Wayne State University softball team, holding a 21-26 record overall and 10-12 in the GLIAC, is set to commence the last week of its regular season with a doubleheader against Ferris State University on Tuesday. The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.

The Wayne State Warriors currently lead the all-time series against Ferris State University with a 92-53 advantage dating back to 1982. Notably, the teams have split their past four encounters after Ferris State's nine-game winning streak from 2022 to 2024. However, Wayne State has faced six consecutive losses in Big Rapids.

Key players for Wayne State include senior Rylie Josephson, batting .431 with a .525 on-base percentage, and freshmen Katelyn DeWitt and Elly Koopman, batting .362 and .328 respectively. Elly Koopman leads the team with 35 RBIs, while Logan Forman has the most home runs (11) and a team-best slugging percentage of .664. Coach Nicole Tines, in her fourth season, has guided the team to 21 wins, marking the second-highest number of victories for the program in recent years.

Ferris State, recently recognized among the top 10 teams in the region, is led by Alexis Kozlowski. She has a batting average of .353 along with four home runs and a team-leading 34 RBIs. The Bulldogs have had a strong season under third-year head coach Jake Schumann. Their pitching staff includes Cecelia Bell with an 8-4 record and 2.47 ERA, Catherine O'Donohue with an 8-3 record and a 3.20 ERA, and Ella Covill-Marter with an 8-5 mark and a 3.26 ERA.

Wayne State ranks well in the NCAA national standings in several categories, including 46th nationally in sacrifice bunts and 37th in triples. Freshman Morgan Williams has made a notable impact with her sacrifice bunts per game statistics.

The team is set to conclude the regular season with upcoming doubleheaders against Purdue Northwest and Grand Valley State.