Wayne State University Athletics

Softball 4/18/2026 9:40:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Softball To Host Davenport and Ferris State This Sunday and Monday

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball team (14-21 overall, 6-10 GLIAC) will conclude its regular season by playing 10 of its final 14 games at Gary L. Bryce Field. That stretch begins with home doubleheaders against Davenport (Sunday at noon) and Ferris State (Monday at 2:30 PM). WSU is currently percentage points behind Davenport (.375 to .389), while Parkside is 7-9 in GLIAC play and Purdue Northwest is 7-7. The Panthers are 11-29 overall and 7-11 in the GLIAC. Meanwhile, Ferris State will enter Monday's twinbill with a 23-16 overall mark, and a 9-5 conference record.

SERIES HISTORY
WSU is 13-19 all-time against Davenport after falling on a pair of walk-off hits (5-2 and 6-5) in Caledonia earlier this season. WSU is 7-7 at home vs. the Panthers after dropping both contests in 2025 (2-0, 5-2). DU has won four of the last five match-ups in Detroit and nine of the last 13 meetings overall.

The Warriors have a 94-55 all-time record vs. Ferris State despite being swept by the Bulldogs earlier this year in Big Rapids. The Bulldogs and the Tartars first met on the softball diamond in 1982. WSU has won four of the last eight meetings, after FSU posted nine consecutive victories (April 2022-April 2024) in the series. The teams have split the last 14 contests in Detroit, 7-7.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Sophomore Elly Koopman (Hudsonville, Mich.), who currently leads the squad with a .360 batting average, has an active 11-game on-base streak (12-for-27 with six walks and four multiple-hit affairs). Freshman Ellery Garver (Weidman, Mich. / Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart) is 10-for-20 with three RBI over the last six contests, and is now batting .467 (14-for-30). Sophomore shortstop Hunter Near (Coopersville, Mich.) is tied for the team lead with 15 walks (to just 13 strikeouts) and is second on the squad with a .402 on-base percentage, to Koopman's .451.

Junior Sydney Long (Grand Blanc, Mich.) ranks second in the GLIAC in both fewest walks per game (1.34) and strikeout/walk ratio (3.72). For the season, Long is 8-9 with a 3.43 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 94 innings with just 18 walks. Offensively, Long is hitting .367 (22-for-60) with nine extra-base hits and 14 RBI.

This year's squad, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Nicole Tines, has the third-highest fielding percentage (.967) in program history behind the .971 of the 2016 team.

LEADING THE PANTHERS
Davenport has three batters hitting over .300 for the season in Kailyne Luna (.320, 33-for-103), Alaina Schwanke (.307, 39-for-127) and Chloe Bruman (.302, 26-for-86). Schwanke has the team lead with 21 RBI, just ahead of Chloe Parker's 20 RBI. Parker has blasted a team-best six home runs, while Luna leads the squad with nine doubles. Bruman has a team-high 14 walks and leads DU with a .406 on-base percentage, along with a team-best 18 stolen bases.

Six different hurlers have thrown at least 10 innings for first-year DU head coach Brad Koch. Hannah Tahaney, who leads the pitching corps with 92.2 innings pitched, is 4-12 overall with a 3.63 ERA and 75 strikeouts. Schwanke is 5-6 with a 4.95 ERA and 35 strikeouts, while Kayla Widner is 1-3 with 40 strikeouts in 38 innings to go with her 3.87 ERA.

LEADING THE BULLDOGS
Ferris State is led offensively by Ava Gardner (.382, 10 2B, 7 HR, 26 RBI), Breanna Blair (.356, 16-for-45) and Alexis Kozlowski (.352, 10 2B, 4 HR, 35 RBI). The Bulldogs have stolen 72 bases this year with three players in double figures - Emma Gillard (13 SB), Jayden Marlatt (12 SB) and Ella McDonald (11 SB). Emma Herremans has 28 walks to 13 strikeouts in 134 plate appearances for a team-leading .463 on-base percentage.

Jake Schumann, who is in his fourth season guiding FSU, has used four pitchers this spring. Cecelia Bell has a 9-8 record with a 3.36 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 102 innings, while Katie Shuboy is 8-4 with a 3.55 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 73 innings. Both Addison Gilard (4-3) and Sally Leask (2-1) have winning records.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will visit Tiffin on Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader before hosting Purdue Northwest (Senior Day on April 25) and Grand Valley State (April 26).

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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

#21 Elly Koopman: P/1B/DP; 5' 8"; Sophomore; L/R

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

#8 Hunter Near: SS; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

#21 Elly Koopman
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; L/R
: P/1B/DP

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

#8 Hunter Near
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: SS