Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Wayne State University Athletics

Elly Koopman Fall 2024 at Detroit
Marissa Krynak
Elly Koopman earned the win in game two, and drove in three runs in each game on Sunday.
9
Sioux Falls USF 12-10
10
Winner Wayne State WSU 5-7
Sioux Falls USF
12-10
9
Final
10
Wayne State WSU
5-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Sioux Falls USF 2 2 3 1 0 0 1 9 16 1
Wayne State WSU 2 0 3 0 2 0 3 10 10 1

W: Fisher, Grace (2-5) L: Duncan, Maddi (7-5)

5
Winner Wayne State WSU 6-7
1
Lake Erie LEC 0-12
Winner
Wayne State WSU
6-7
5
Final
1
Lake Erie LEC
0-12
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Wayne State WSU 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 5 9 0
Lake Erie LEC 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0

W: Koopman, Elly (2-0) L: Alexa Bailey (0-1)

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

Softball Rallies For A Pair of Sunday Wins

WSU defeated Sioux Falls 10-9 and Lake Erie 5-1.

CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Wayne State University softball squad (6-7 overall) began day two of its spring break trip with a thrilling 10-9 come-from-behind win over Sioux Falls (12-10 overall).  In the nightcap, the Warriors trailed 1-0 until scoring five runs in their final two at-bats for a 5-1 triumph over Lake Erie (0-12 overall).

GAME ONE RECAP
The Cougars took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a leadoff double by Meghan Jochimsen, a ground out and a sacrifice fly by Hanna Raethz followed by a solo home run from Hannah Soderbeck.

WSU wasted little time in knotting the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame as sophomore Logan Forman (Brantford, Ont.) drew a leadoff walk and scored on the first collegiate home run for freshman Morgan Williams (Midland, Mich.).

USF snapped the deadlock with a pair of runs in the second on RBI singles by Savanna Isaacson and Alannah Naumann.  The visitors extended their lead to 7-2 in with a trio of runs in the third on three consecutive RBI hits - single by Addison Heule, double by Isaacson, and a single by Kyra Knudtson.

The Warriors trimmed their deficit to two (7-5) with a three-run home run by freshman Elly Koopman (Hudsonville, Mich.) in the bottom of the third after Williams walked and classmate Katelyn DeWitt (Grand Blanc, Mich.) was hit by a pitch with one out.  

Sioux Falls scored once in the top of the fourth for an 8-5 advantage on back-to-back two-out hits including an RBI double by Morgan Linstad.

Wayne State trailed by one (8-7) after a two-run, two-out double by senior Mady Ruczynski (Richmond, Mich. / Armada).  DeWitt worked a leadoff walk and Koopman singled before the next two batters were retired.

The Cougars tallied one run in the top of the seventh on a leadoff double by Knudtson, a single by Jochimsen and a sacrifice fly by Naumann.  With a runner at third and one out, WSU reliever Grace Fisher (Painesville, Ohio / Riverside [Notre Dame College} induced a pair of pop outs to the shortstop.

In the bottom of the seventh, DeWitt had a leadoff single down the right field line.  She advanced to second on a ground out and pinch-runner Madison Martinez (Hemlock, Mich. [Central Michigan]) scored on an RBI triple into the right field corner by senior Jessie O'Donnell (Campbellville, Ont.).  USF made a pitching change bringing in their ace Maddi Duncan.  Freshman Hunter Near (Coopersville, Mich.) worked a four-pitch walk, then stole second.  Ruczynski delivered an RBI single through the right side on a 2-2 offering to tie the game at 9-9.  On the second pitch to Sydney Long (Grand Blanc, Mich.), Duncan uncorked a wild pitch allowing Near to score the game-winning run.

IN THE CIRCLE
Long hurled the first three innings and allowed seven earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and three walks.  Fisher earned the victory (2-5) by limiting USF to two earned runs on eight hits in four innings.  She struck out three and did not walk a batter.

Sioux Falls used four pitchers in the contest.  Hannah Strickland was pulled after allowing a walk and a home run on just 13 pitches.  Gracie Johnson tossed 2.1 innings and allowed three earned runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout.  Lauryn Foudree pitched four innings surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits with one walk.  Duncan (7-5) was in the middle of facing her third batter when her wild pitch allowed the winning run to score.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Koopman, Ruczynski and Long each had two hits, with both Koopman and Ruczynski garnering three RBI.  DeWitt was on base three hits with a walk, a hit by pitch and a single which started the game-winning rally.

LEADING THE COUGARS
Jochimsen and Knudtson each had three hits as USF had 16 hits in the contest, including four doubles and one home run.

GAME TWO RECAP
In a battle of freshmen pitchers - WSU's Elly Koopman and LEC's Addison Nugent - there was only one run in the first five innings combined as Nugent retired 15 of Wayne State's 17 batters (only blemishes were two walks to Morgan Williams).  Meanwhile, Koopman retired the first six Storm hitters until a bloop single leading off the third.  After a sacrifice bunt and a pop pout, Koopman walked the next three LEC hitters, all on a 3-2 count, forcing in Brynn Gillen's with the game's first run.

Koopman re-grouped and sat down 12 of the next 13 Lake Erie batters, only allowing a two-out double in the fifth to Peyton Powers.  After a two-out walk in the seventh, Koopman struck out pinch-hitter Maddie Pawlak to end the game.

The Warrior offense finally came to life in the sixth as senior Madison Martinez had a bunt single and went to second on a one-out single by junior Maddie Hool (Allen Park, Mich.).  After a Storm pitching change, Katelyn DeWitt had a single but Martinez was thrown out trying to score from second.  Koopman and Hunter Near had back-to-back RBI singles to put Wayne State in front 2-1.

In the top of the seventh, pinch-hitter Jessie O'Donnell had a leadoff single, and pinch-hitter Logan Forman worked a walk.  After a fly out, Williams had a single through the right side to load the bases.  Hool followed with an RBI single up the middle.  With two outs, Koopman laced a two-run single to left center making it 5-1.

IN THE CIRCLE
Koopman (2-0) tossed her first career complete game in just her second collegiate start.  She allowed one earned run on two hits in seven innings with four strikeouts to four walks.

Nugent limited WSU to one earned run on two hits in 5.1 innings with four strikeouts to two walks.  Alexa Bailey (0-1) surrendered three earned runs on four hits, while recording two outs and issuing one walk.  Kai Mortensen allowed one earned run in her inning of work.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Maddie Hool and Elly Koopman each had two hits with Koopman driving in three besides earning the win in the circle.  Morgan Williams was on base three times with one hit and two walks.

LEADING THE STORM
Brynn Gillen and Peyton Powers had the two LEC hits.

UP NEXT
After an off day on Monday, Wayne State will play two more games on Tuesday.  WSU will face Glenville State at 2 p.m. and Indiana (Pa.) at 4:15 p.m.
 
Print Friendly Version