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Wayne State University Athletics

Jessie O'Donnell Fall 2022 vs. Detroit
Jessie O'Donnell drove in three of the five runs in the win over SMC.
5
Wayne State WS 8-9
7
Winner Le Moyne LEM 7-9
Wayne State WS
8-9
5
Final
7
Le Moyne LEM
7-9
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Wayne State WS 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 5 12 2
Le Moyne LEM 2 0 0 4 0 1 X 7 7 1

W: L. Bennett (5-5) L: Batton, Hayden (2-5)

4
Saint Michael's STM 5-9
5
Winner Wayne State WS 9-9
Saint Michael's STM
5-9
4
Final
5
Wayne State WS
9-9
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Saint Michael's STM 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 7 1
Wayne State WS 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 5 13 2

W: Batton, Hayden (3-5) L: Jamie Hearn (3-5)

Game Recap: Softball | | Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Softball Wins Florida Finale In Walk-Off Fashion

WSU edged Saint Michael's 5-4, after falling 7-5 to Le Moyne.

LEESBURG, Fla. -- The Wayne State University softball squad (9-9 overall) concluded its spring break trip on Friday by falling 7-5 to Le Moyne (7-9 overall) before defeating Saint Michael's (5-9 overall) 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh.  WSU went 6-4 in its 10 games as part of the NTC Spring Games.

GAME ONE RECAP
The Warriors had a 5-2 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth, but the Dolphins scored the final five runs of the game for the 7-5 victory.

Wayne State scored twice in the top of the first as junior right fielder Shelby Miller (Georgetown, Ont.) had a leadoff infield single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Maddie Hool (Allen Park, Mich.).  Miller advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on a double by junior designated player Alexis Bonk (New Hudson, Mich. / South Lyon).  Following a walk to senior third baseman Taryn Peru (Bath, Mich.), senior catcher Becky Hodder (Orangeville, Ont.) laced an 0-1 offering into left center plating Bonk.

Le Moyne tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a two-out, two-run home run by Frankie Larobardiere.

WSU responded with a pair of runs in the second.  Sophomore center fielder Mady Ruczynski (Richmond, Mich. / Armada) earned a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior first baseman Breanna Paolatto (Belle River, Ont.).  Miller's shallow single to left had runners at first and second before Hool's single up the middle loaded the bases.  Miller scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore shortstop Leah Wrubel (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Mattawan).  Bonk reached on an error to load the bases, before Peru's RBI single made it 4-2.

The Warriors extended their lead in the third as freshman left fielder Jessie O'Donnell (Campbellville, Ont.) walked to start the inning and went to second on a ground out.  With two outs, Miller delivered an RBI single through the right side.

Le Moyne's Cassidy Barrett hit a two-run home run in the fourth and five batters later a pair of Dolphins scored on a Wayne State error putting the Warriors down 6-5.

WSU had runners on the corners in the fifth with one out but the next two batters were retired.

LC's Alyssa Dybaza added a solo home run in the sixth to complete the scoring.

IN THE CIRCLE
Freshman Hayden Batton (Plainfield, Ind. / Avon) pitched the first four innings for WSU and allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits.  She struck out four and did not walk a batter.  Bonk hurled the final two innings and allowed one run on one hit with five strikeouts to one walk.

Le Moyne used three pitchers with Laura Bennett (5-5) earning the win in relief by blanking Wayne State over the final four innings on three hits with seven strikeouts.  The first two pitchers (Julia Panarella and Michaela Stockwell) combined to allow five runs (four earned) on nine hits in three innings with one strikeout and three walks.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Miller went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Bonk and Ruczynski each contributed two hits.

LEADING THE DOLPHINS
Larobardiere went 2-for-2 with two RBI and a walk.

GAME TWO RECAP
Saint Michael's scored an unearned run in the top of the first on a Wayne State error and a two-out, RBI double from Meghan Connor.

WSU evened the score in the second as Bonk had a leadoff triple but was a tagged out on Peru's fielder's choice.  With two outs, O'Donnell tripled to right center scoring Hodder.

In the bottom of the fourth, Bonk reached on an error and Peru followed with a 5-4 sacrifice bunt.  However, the SMC's third baseman was inadvertently listed as the first baseman on the lineup card.  Peru was incorrectly awarded first base on umpire misapplication of rules.  Hodder's sacrifice bunt advanced both runner and O'Donnell followed with a two-run double to right center snapping the 1-1 deadlock.  Ruczynski and Paolatto greeted Purple Knight reliever Jamie Hearn with back-to-back singles, with WSU's fourth run scoring on Paolatto's hit through the right side.

Saint Michael's tallied three runs in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by CJ Davidson, a fielder's choice RBI by Sadie Pratt and an RBI single by Jenna Devens.  The Warriors escaped further damage with an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Neither team scored in the sixth.  SMC had a one-out single in the seventh but the next two batters were retired on pop outs to Peru.

In the bottom of the seventh, Peru doubled down the right field line with one out.  Hodder's single to left center put runners on the corners.  After a shallow fly out to center, Ruczynski's hard chopper up the middle was grabbed by the second baseman but Ruczynski was safe at first allowing Peru to score the winning run in WSU's first walk-off win of 2023.

IN THE CIRCLE
Freshman Sasha Buckberger (Oakville, Ont.) pitched the first five innings and surrendered four runs (three earned) on fivehits.  She struck out four and did not walk a batter.  Batton (3-5) earned the win by tossing two scoreless innings in relief.  She allowed two hits and struck out one.

Kelleigh Simpson started for SMC and allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits.  Hearn (3-5) suffered the setback after allowing one run on nine hits in 3.1 innings.  She struck out three and did not walk a batter.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Miller, Bonk, Hodder, O'Donnell and Ruczynski each had two hits as part of WSU's 13-hit attack.  O'Donnell drove in three runs.

LEADING THE PURPLE KNIGHTS
Connor went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

UP NEXT
Wayne State is slated to begin the home portion of its schedule on Wednesday against the University of Findlay.  Game one's first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Gary Bryce Field.  Stay tuned to WSUAthletics.com all spring for the latest schedule updates.

 
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