Wayne State University Athletics

Softball 4/22/2024 4:06:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Softball To Host Doubleheaders Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday This Week

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball team (15-26 overall, 7-13 GLIAC) enters the final week of the regular-season still battling for a spot in the GLIAC Tournament. WSU begins the week with a non-conference doubleheader at Gary L. Bryce Field vs. Cedarville (20-27 overall) on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The following day the Warriors face league rival Davenport (13-27 overall, 5-13 GLIAC) in Motown with game one slated to start at 3:30 p.m. Senior Day ceremonies on Friday will begin at 3:10 p.m. followed by a conference twinbill against Ferris State (23-22 overall, 11-9 GLIAC).

SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors and the Yellow Jackets have met just twice on the diamond with both games being played at Cedarville on March 22, 2021. WSU won the opener 4-1, before CU claimed the nightcap 4-0.

DU has a 14-10 edge in the all-time series that began when the Panthers joined the GLIAC in 2017-18. WSU has a 6-4 mark at home having split the last four doubleheaders in the Motor City. The teams split the two games earlier this month in Caledonia with Davenport winning the opener 3-2 in nine innings, before the Warriors recorded an 11-5 victory in game two.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Junior Rylie Josephson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Central) continues to lead WSU in batting with a .400 average (50-for-125) along with a team-best 10 doubles, and a .464 on-base percentage. Senior Abby Favela (Riverside, Ill. / Riverside-Brookfield) is hitting .358 (38-for-106) with a team-leading seven stolen bases. Graduate student Becky Hodder (Orangeville, Ont.) has team-best totals of 22 walks and 14 sacrifice bunts. Freshman Logan Forman (Brantford, Ont.) leads the squad with 14 extra-base hits (8 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR) and 25 RBI.

The WSU pitching corps consists of senior Alexis Bonk (New Hudson, Mich. / South Lyon), sophomore Sasha Buckberger (Oakville, Ont.) and freshman Sydney Long (Grand Blanc, Mich.). Bonk has a 6-11 record with a 5.08 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 102 innings. Meanwhile, Buckberger is 3-3 with a 4.30 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 40.2 innings. Long has a 5-12 mark with a 4.01 ERA and 73 strikeouts in a team-high 117 innings for third-year head coach Nicole Tines.

LEADING THE YELLOW JACKETS
Kaley Clark has started all 47 games and is hitting .329 (47-for-143) with team-leading totals of 10 doubles and 33 RBI. Dana Bertka has started all 43 games played and leads CU in runs (27), triples (4), walks (20) and stolen bases (18). Casey Bertke has blasted a team-best six home runs.

Third-year head coach Kelsey Chapman has primarily used three throwers this spring. Casey Bertke is 13-9 with a 2.03 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 162 innings. Adaline Johnson has a 4-13 record with a 5.23 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 92.1 innings. Mackenzie Russell has compiled a 3-5 mark with a 5.22 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 59 innings.

LEADING THE PANTHERS
DU has lost eight straight heading into Wednesday's contests. Third-year head coach Kathryn Bzdafka's squad is led by sixth-year senior Hayley Kreiger, who is batting .358 (43-for-120) with a team-high five home runs and 27 RBI. Becca Daoust is hitting .321 (43-for-134) along with a team-best 11 stolen bases. SVSU transfer Alexis Gills has a squad-high 13 doubles.

Four pitchers have hurled at 24 innings each led by Hailey Whisman's 99.2 innings. She has a 7-9 record with a 3.51 ERA and 47 strikeouts. Cecelia Bell has compiled a 4-11 mark with a 3.62 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 94.2 innings. Kelsey Byers is 2-5 with a 3.09 ERA in 45.1 innings with 22 strikeouts, while Alayna Pinkelman has an 0-2 mark with a 6.04 ERA in 24.1 innings with 15 strikeouts.

UP NEXT
After an off day on Thursday, Wayne State will close out the regular season and the six-game home stand with a GLIAC doubleheader against Ferris State. Senior Day ceremonies begin at 3:10 p.m. followed by first pitch at 3:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Alexis Bonk: P; 5' 9"; Senior; R/R

#14 Sasha Buckberger: P; 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R

#7 Abby Favela: LF/2B/SS; 5' 4"; Senior; R/R

#11 Logan Forman: C/UT; 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R

#16 Becky Hodder: 1B/C; 5' 3"; Graduate Student; L/R

#4 Rylie Josephson: RF; 5' 7"; Junior; L/R

#6 Sydney Long: P; 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#15 Alexis Bonk
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/R
: P

#14 Sasha Buckberger
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

#7 Abby Favela
: 5' 4"; Senior; R/R
: LF/2B/SS

#11 Logan Forman
: 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R
: C/UT

#16 Becky Hodder
: 5' 3"; Graduate Student; L/R
: 1B/C

#4 Rylie Josephson
: 5' 7"; Junior; L/R
: RF

#6 Sydney Long
: 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R
: P