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Wayne State University Athletics

Sydney Long 2026 vs. Parkside
Romer Santacruz
Sydney Long struck out a WSU record 18 batters in the game one victory.
2
Parkside UWP 11-16, 2-3 GLIAC
3
Winner Wayne State WSU 9-13, 1-4 GLIAC
Parkside UWP
11-16, 2-3 GLIAC
2
Final
3
Wayne State WSU
9-13, 1-4 GLIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
Parkside UWP 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 2
Wayne State WSU 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 9 1

W: Long, Sydney (5-7) L: Holly Lowenberg (6-5)

0
Parkside UWP 11-17, 2-4 GLIAC
1
Winner Wayne State WSU 10-13, 2-4 GLIAC
Parkside UWP
11-17, 2-4 GLIAC
0
Final
1
Wayne State WSU
10-13, 2-4 GLIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Parkside UWP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Wayne State WSU 0 0 0 1 0 0 X 1 4 0

W: Batton, Hayden (1-3) L: Casey Jo Vermett (5-4)

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

Softball Sweeps Parkside, 3-2 and 1-0, Behind Stellar Pitching

Long breaks WSU single-game strikeout record with 18; Batton tosses second career shutout.

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball squad (10-13 overall, 2-4 GLIAC) had its GLIAC home opening doubleheader and swept visiting University of Wisconsin-Parkside (11-17 overall, 2-4 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon at Gary L. Bryce Field.  WSU won the opener 3-2 in 12 innings, then claimed the nightcap 1-0.  Sydney Long eclipsed the WSU single-game strikeout mark with 18 punchouts in game one, while Hayden Batton tossed her second career shutout in game two.

GAME ONE RECAP
The visiting Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first without a hit.  A walk, and two hit by pitches sandwiched around a pop out loaded the bases with one out.  After a strikeout, UWP's Megan Medlin was hit by a 2-2 offering plating Mia Johnson with the game's first run.

Wisconsin-Parkside extended its advantage to 2-0 the next inning as Reese Valha had a leadoff double and scored on a two-out double Ava Swain.

The Warriors cut their deficit in half with a run in the fifth.  Senior second baseman Maddie Hool (Allen Park, Mich.) had a one-out single and moved to third as junior catcher Molly Hool (Allen Park, Mich.) singled to right center.  Junior center fielder Mia Hool (Allen Park, Mich.) singled to right center plating her older sister to make it 2-1.

Sophomore third baseman Kate DeWitt (Grand Blanc, Mich.) led off the sixth with an eight pitch walk.  DeWitt advanced to third on a double to left by sophomore first baseman Elly Koopman (Hudsonville, Mich.).  On the very next pitch, junior pitcher Sydney Long (Grand Blanc, Mich.) lined out to the center fielder but DeWitt was able to score the equalizer.

Over the next five innings (innings 7 through 11), neither team was able to score the go-ahead run.  WSU had a runner at third with one out in the seventh but couldn't plate the winning run.

In the bottom of the 11th, Maddie Hool had a leadoff single moving the international tiebreaker ("placed") runner to third, but a pop out, a line out and a ground out ended the threat.

In the bottom of the 12th, with sophomore shortstop Hunter Near (Coopersville, Mich.) placed on second, freshman right fielder Brooke Bunch (Almont, Mich.) moved the runner with a sacrifice bunt.  After a pop out, Koopman singled up the middle with UWP second baseman Taylor Utrata making a diving stop but was unable to make a throw to first as Near scored the game-winning run.

IN THE CIRCLE
Long (5-7) eclipsed the WSU single-game record for strikeouts with 18 (previous mark of 17 was set by Molly Yetman on April 9, 2007, in a 4-0 seven inning win at Indianapolis.  Yetman only faced 22 batters in her no-hitter allowing just one hit by pitch).

Long tossed a career-high 12 innings to notch her school record 18 strikeouts.  She walked two and allowed just two earned run on three hits and three hit batsmen.  Long threw a career-high 188 pitches, including 115 strikes.

UWP pitcher Holly Lowenberg (6-5) threw 201 pitches in her 11.2 innings of work.  She allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits with five strikeouts and five walks.  Lowenberg threw 122 strikes in the game.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Koopman went 2-for-6 with the game-winning RBI, while Maddie Hool and Mia Hool each had two hits.

LEADING THE RANGERS
Two of UWP's three hits were doubles - by CiCi Di Silvio and Valha, while Utrata had a single in the eighth.  Two-time GLIAC Player of the Year Mia Johnson went 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts, but did score the game's first run.

GAME TWO RECAP
The nightcap was a pitchers duel as well.  Warrior senior Hayden Batton (Plainfield, Ind. / Avon) tossed her second career shutout (first was March 12, 2025, vs. Winona State).  She allowed five hits and struck out six, while walking two.

UWP's best chance to score was in the top of the third after a leadoff double by Valha and a ground out moved her to third.  A strikeout, two walks and a lineout to Maddie Hool at second base ended the scoring opportunity.

The Rangers had back-to-back one-out hits in the sixth, but Batton recorded a strikeout on four pitches and a ground out ended the frame.

Wisconsin-Parkside's Casey Jo Vermett (5-4) scatted four hits over six innings.  She struck out 10 and walked four.

The game's only run came in the bottom of the fourth.  Maddie Hool and Molly Hool had back-to-back one-out singles with Maddie going to third on her younger sister's base hit.  After a walk to sophomore catcher Abby Barnes (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Northview) loaded the bases, Maddie Hool scampered home on a wild pitch of a 2-2 delivery by Vermett.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Four different WSU batters had one single apiece.  Near did reach base twice via a walk.

LEADING THE RANGERS
Swain went 2-for-2 and also reached via a walk.  Mia Johnson entered the day leading the GLIAC and ranked 11th nationally in batting average at .514 (38-for-74), but went a combined 0-for-7 with five strikeouts in the twinbill.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will entertain GLIAC foe Roosevelt University (7-17 overall, 1-3 GLIAC) for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 29.  First pitch is slated for noon.
 
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