Wayne State University Athletics

Softball 2/18/2025 10:01:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Softball To Play Four Games At Lewis Dome Invitational

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball squad will take a 2-1 overall record to Chicago this weekend for the Lewis Dome Invitational.

WSU begins tournament play at 9 AM (Central Time) on Friday against Bemidji State (2-2 overall), before battling St. Cloud State (7-3 overall) at 11 AM (Central Time). The Warriors will play twice more on Saturday facing invitational host Lewis (4-6 overall) at 1:30 PM (Central Time) with Wayne State's final game of the tournament coming against Minnesota Duluth (6-2 overall) at 8 PM (Central Time) Saturday evening.

SERIES HISTORY
WSU has faced the BSU Beavers just once winning 4-0 on March 13, 2016, in Clermont, Fla. as Lyndsay Butler tossed a four-hit shutout and Jade McGarr recorded three hits and two RBI, including the game-winning RBI. Allie Buchanan also had three hits in the contest.

The SCSU Huskies hold a 5-2 advantage in the all-time series with the Warriors. The first meeting took place in 1993 at the Central Missouri State Jennies Invite with Wayne State prevailing 7-4. The last six match-ups have all occurred in Florida with St. Cloud State taking a 5-4 victory in the most recent outing on March 13, 2013.

WSU has a 12-7 lead in the all-time series with Lewis dating back to 1993, despite the Flyers winning the last three meetings. Ten (10) of the last 11 games in the series have taken place in Rosemont with those games even at five wins apiece.

The Warriors have a commanding 9-3 lead in the all-time series vs. Minnesota Duluth. This will be the third meeting in Rosemont as 10 previous match-ups have occurred in Florida. Last season, the squads split with WSU winning in Illinois (5-3), but the Bulldogs claiming an 8-0 triumph in Florida.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
WSU went 2-1 last week at the Lincoln Memorial Invitational in Harrogate, Tenn. Freshman third baseman Katelyn DeWitt (Grand Blanc, Mich.) was selected GLIAC Player of the Week after batting .667 (8-for-12) with four extra-base hits and 10 RBI. Senior designated player Rylie Josephson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Central) hit .625 (5-for-8) with a .700 on-base percentage. Eleven (11) different WSU batters had at least two hits during the tournament.

Junior transfer Grace Fisher compiled a 1-1 record with a 0.00 ERA in 9.2 innings. She tossed a three-hit shutout of Kentucky Wesleyan in WSU's season opener. For the tournament, she struck out nine and walked four while allowing just five hits. Freshman Elly Koopman retired 10 of the first 11 Davis & Elkins batters and was able to get through four innings. Sophomore Sydney Long earned the save vs. the Senators and finished with nine strikeouts in nine innings during her two games in the circle.

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS
Bemidji State will take a 2-2 record into Thursday's games against Purdue Northwest and Lewis. Jackie Larsen is batting .500 (7-for-14) and leads the squad with three runs scored and nine total bases. Morgan Benedict is hitting .429 (3-for-7). Kennedy Joachim (1-1, 3.77 ERA, 16 SO) and Payton Prissel (1-1, 4.08 ERA, 3 SO) have pitched 13 and 12 innings, respectively for fourth-year head coach Jordan Petersen.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
St. Cloud State enters the Dome Tournament with a 7-3 overall record. Brooke Holmes is batting a team-best .571 (16-for-28) with 10 runs and five extra-base hits. She has also played errorless defense in 40 chances (21 PO, 19 A). Bethany Weiss is hitting .400 (14-for-35). Macey Clark (3-1, 2.72 ERA, 25 SO) and Emma Eickhoff (3-0, 2.53 ERA, 14 SO) have tossed 28 and 19 innings, respectively. SCSU is led by fourth-year head coach Mitch Roberts.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS
Lewis has a 4-6 overall record entering Thursday's games vs. Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth. LU will not play any games on Friday, but will face Grand Valley State on Saturday immediately preceding the game vs. WSU. Nicole Magdziasz is hitting .486 (17-for-35) with three doubles, while Anna Frafjord has a team-best 14 RBI and is batting .438 (14-for-32). Allie Wondrasek (2-1, 1.77 ERA, 29 SO) and Delaney Garden (2-3, 4.30 ERA, 26 SO) have both pitched at least 27 innings this season for 11th-year head coach Becky Pearl.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Minnesota Duluth will play six games at the Invitational with WSU being the final game for UMD. The Bulldogs are 6-2 overall and are led by Nicole Schmitt, who is batting .600 (15-for-25) with 12 runs scored and a team-high 17 RBI. She has also walked seven times to one strikeout for a .688 on-base percentage. Morgan McMillan is hitting .414 (12-for-29) with five extra-base hits. Three pitchers have each thrown at least 12 innings for UMD led by Allison Luoma (3-0, 3.00 ERA, 18 SO). Nat Wagner is in his first season at UMD.

UP NEXT
After the Dome Invitational, WSU is slated to host Findlay for a twinbill on Sunday, March 2nd weather permitting. The Warriors are scheduled to play 12 games in eight days in Florida from March 8-15.

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Players Mentioned

#20 Kate DeWitt: 3B/DP; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

#16 Grace Fisher: P; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

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

#21 Elly Koopman: P/1B/DP; 5' 9"; Freshman; L/R

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

Players Mentioned

#20 Kate DeWitt
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: 3B/DP

#16 Grace Fisher
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: P

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

#21 Elly Koopman
: 5' 9"; Freshman; L/R
: P/1B/DP

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