DAYTONA, Fla. — The Wesleyan softball team wrapped up play at the Space Coast Tournament on Friday, falling in a high-scoring 15–11 contest to Minnesota Crookston before dropping a 3–0 decision to Bridgeport in the evening matchup.
Game One: Minnesota Crookston 15, West Virginia Wesleyan 11
In a game that featured 26 combined runs and 29 hits, Minnesota Crookston used a late surge to outlast the Bobcats in a back-and-forth battle.
The Golden Eagles struck first with four runs in the top of the first inning, highlighted by an RBI triple from Emily Kalina and run-scoring singles from Valerie VanZant and Jocelyn Hernandez. Wesleyan answered immediately in the bottom half. After a single by
Josi Fix,
Reagan Winn doubled to drive in the Bobcats' first run before
Madison Austra and
Kali Vance followed with RBI singles to trim the deficit to 4–3.
The Bobcats exploded for five runs in the second inning to take their first lead of the game. Fix delivered an RBI double, Winn followed with an RBI single, and Vance capped the rally with a two-run single as Wesleyan surged ahead 8–4.
Minnesota Crookston responded with its biggest inning in the fifth. With runners on base, Rayna French blasted a three-run double and later scored on a wild pitch as the Golden Eagles pushed across six runs to regain the lead, 10–8.
Wesleyan battled back in the sixth.
Emma Putman drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly to center field that tied the game at 10–10 and briefly swung momentum back to the Bobcats.
However, Minnesota Crookston delivered the decisive blow in the seventh inning. A string of hits—including RBI singles from Riley Blake, Irelyn Spencer, and VanZant—produced five runs and gave the Golden Eagles a 15–10 advantage. Wesleyan plated one run in the bottom of the frame but could get no closer.
The Bobcats recorded 14 hits in the game. Fix led the offense with three hits, while Austra also had three hits and scored twice. Winn added two hits and two RBIs, and Vance drove in three runs.
Game Two: Bridgeport 3, West Virginia Wesleyan 0
In the nightcap, the Bobcats were held in check offensively as Bridgeport pitcher Samantha Ledger tossed a complete-game shutout.
Bridgeport capitalized on a Wesleyan miscue in the second inning to score two runs despite not recording a hit in the frame. The Purple Knights added an insurance run in the fifth inning when Paityn Thibodeaux delivered an RBI single to extend the lead to 3–0.
Wesleyan's best scoring opportunity came in the fifth inning.
Chloe Cowan singled and later moved to third on a passed ball, while
Lynzee Hague drew a walk to put two runners aboard. However, Ledger induced a groundout to escape the inning and preserve the shutout.
Cowan led the Bobcats at the plate with two hits, including a double in the seventh inning.
Josi Fix added Wesleyan's other hit of the game.
Despite the loss,
Morgan Greene delivered a strong outing in the circle, allowing just three hits while striking out three over seven innings of work.
Wesleyan returns to the mound when the team travels to the Salem Tournament (Va.) to face Edinboro University in the first game on Saturday, Mar. 14 at 11 p.m.
