Softball 2/12/2026 3:26:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Softball To Start 2026 Campaign in Tennessee on Saturday

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball team (24-32 overall in 2025) will commence its season for the second consecutive year at the Lincoln Memorial Tournament in Harrogate, Tenn.

The Warriors will face the host Railsplitters (3-3 overall) at noon on Saturday, followed by 4 p.m. contest against Bluefield State.  WSU will conclude tournament play with a 10 a.m. game on Sunday against in-region foe Tiffin (1-3 overall), along with a second match-up vs. Lincoln Memorial at noon.

SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State and Lincoln Memorial have met just twice, with the second match-up being last year. WSU won 1-0 in 2015 as part of the North Georgia Tournament.  Briana Lee tossed a three-hit shutout and Shelby Spano drove in the only run in the top of the first with an infield single plating Kristen Lucas. LMU prevailed 8-7 in nine innings 12 months ago, despite three hits and four RBI from Kate DeWitt.

The Warriors have never played Bluefield State in softball.

WSU has faced Tiffin 45 times previously on the softball diamond with Wayne State holding a 26-19 edge from 2001 through last year's doubleheader in Detroit. The Dragons have won the last four meetings by a combined 27-9 score.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Sophomore third baseman Kate DeWitt (Grand Blanc, Mich.) is WSU's top returning batter after hitting .335 with 14 extra-base hits and 27 RBI on her way to earning Second Team All-GLIAC recognition. Classmate Elly Koopman (Hudsonville, Mich.) was an Honorable Mention All-GLIAC selection in 2025. Koopman had a team-high 40 RBI, with 11 doubles and five home runs. She compiled a 3-1 mark in the circle with a 3.20 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 30.2 innings.

Junior catcher/first baseman Molly Hool (Allen Park, Mich.) played errorless defense last year in 172 chances (163 PO, 9 A) and threw out over 35 percent of opponent base stealers to garner Honorable Mention All-GLIAC accolades.

The other returning starters are senior second baseman Maddie Hool (114 career starts at 2B), sophomore shortstop Hunter Near (started 54 games at SS in 2025), and junior outfielder Mia Hool (58 career starts in the outfield - 46 in LF and 12 in CF).

Other key members returning include catcher/outfielder Abby Barnes and catcher/designated player Kennedy Cole. Barnes made 12 starts a season ago (9 at C, and 3 in LF), while Cole returns to the lineup after missing all of 2025 due to an injury.

The five freshmen brought in to bolster the lineup include infielder/outfielder Brooke Bunch, infielders Ellery Garver and Ella Vinco, catcher/utility Addison Cosgrove, and catcher/infielder Marin McCullough.

Junior college corner infielder Lexi Mielke and outfielder Julia Sandles are looking to make an immediate impact on the WSU offense. Mielke posted a .962 slugging percentage in 41 games last season for Mid-Michigan C.C., while Sandles started 33 games a year ago for Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL).

The Warrior pitching staff has two returnees from last season in junior Sydney Long and senior Hayden Batton, in addition to the aforementioned Koopman. Long has 164 career strikeouts in 257 innings, while Batton has struck out 113 batters in 168.1 innings in two active seasons since she missed all of 2024 with an injury.

Wayne State also brought in junior college hurler Kyra Shadduck, who compiled a 49-15 mark in two seasons at Lansing Community College with 342 strikeouts and a 2.56 ERA.

LEADING THE RAILSPLITTERS
LMU will take a 3-3 overall mark into Saturday's battle with the Warriors after having its first six games canceled.

Hanna Bogoski is hitting .450 (9-for-20) with a team-best five RBI. Hannah McMeen is batting .444 (8-for-18), while Jordann Reagan has a squad-best eight walks for a .556 on-base percentage. Ten different LMU players have a stolen base this year as the Railsplitters are 18-for-19.

Brooke Strickland has pitched a team-high 19 innings with 17 strikeouts. She has a 1-2 record with a 2.95 ERA. Two other hurlers have at least eight innings pitched in Katie Fultz (0-1, 2.52 ERA, 7 SO) and Jasmine Kaylor (1-0, 7.00 ERA, 0 SO).

LMU head coach Ritchie Richardson is in his ninth season at his alma mater, following an NAIA Hall of Fame career at Olivet Nazarene and one season at Purdue Northwest before they transitioned to the GLIAC.

LEADING THE THE BIG BLUE
Bluefield State will play its first game of the year Saturday morning at 10 a.m. vs. Tiffin after having its first four contests canceled. BSU compiled a 14-30 record a year ago and hit .296 as a team with 106 stolen bases. No pitcher had an ERA below five in 2025.

Head coach Chelsea Holliday begins her third season leading the Big Blue.

LEADING THE DRAGONS
Tiffin is 1-3 this season after four contests in Smyrna, Tenn. last weekend. TU defeated Quincy (7-2), but lost twice to Indianapolis (2-1 in 9 inn., and 9-4) and 6-2 to Trevecca Nazarene.

McKenna Scott is batting a team-best .417 (5-for-12), while Tori McPherson is hitting .308 (4-for-13). Ella Esterby is 0-2 with a 1.50 ERA and eight strikeouts in 18.2 innings. Lexi Key is 1-1 with a 4.59 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 10.2 innings.

Paige McMenemy is in her fifth season guiding the Dragons. TU won the G-MAC regular-season championship in 2025.

UP NEXT
After the trip to Tennessee, the Warriors will compete in the Lewis Dome Invitational Feb. 19-21 with two games on both Thursday and Saturday, with one game on Friday.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Abby Barnes: C/LF; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#18 Hayden Batton: P; 5' 9"; Senior; L/L

#5 Brooke Bunch: RF; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

#10 Kennedy Cole: C/DP; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#13 Addison Cosgrove: C/UT; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

#20 Kate DeWitt: 3B; 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R

#7 Ellery Garver: OF/SS; 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R

#2 Maddie Hool: 2B; 5' 5"; Senior; R/R

#1 Mia Hool: CF; 5' 5"; Junior; R/R

#3 Molly Hool: 1B/C; 5' 5"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#14 Abby Barnes
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: C/LF

#18 Hayden Batton
: 5' 9"; Senior; L/L
: P

#5 Brooke Bunch
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: RF

#10 Kennedy Cole
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: C/DP

#13 Addison Cosgrove
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: C/UT

#20 Kate DeWitt
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: 3B

#7 Ellery Garver
: 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R
: OF/SS

#2 Maddie Hool
: 5' 5"; Senior; R/R
: 2B

#1 Mia Hool
: 5' 5"; Junior; R/R
: CF

#3 Molly Hool
: 5' 5"; Junior; R/R
: 1B/C