Wayne State University Athletics

Softball 4/6/2026 11:49:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Softball To Begin Busy Week Hosting Findlay On Tuesday

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball team (12-15 overall, 4-6 GLIAC) will play its lone home games of the week tomorrow (April 7) vs. in-region foe the University of Findlay (22-8 overall, 7-3 GMAC prior to this afternoon's home doubleheader vs. Hillsdale). The twinbill vs. the Oilers starts at 2:30 PM at Gary L. Bryce Field on the WSU campus.

WSU will finish out the week with six consecutive road games starting Thursday (April 9) at Purdue Northwest (make-up of April 4 postponement), followed by doubleheaders at Roosevelt (April 10) and Parkside (April 12).

SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State holds a 44-14-1 mark in the all-time series vs. UF that began on April 11, 1998. The Oilers have won the last four meetings, and seven of the last eight. WSU's lone victory during this most recent stretch was a 4-3 triumph at home on March 22, 2023, in the second game of a twinbill.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Sophomore first baseman/pitcher Elly Koopman (Hudsonville, Mich.) went 3-for-5 with a double at Grand Valley State last Friday and now leads the squad with a .333 batting average (22-for-66). Koopman is tied with junior catcher/first baseman Molly Hool (Allen Park, Mich.) and freshman right fielder Brooke Bunch (Almont, Mich.) for the team lead in doubles with eight. Koopman leads the squad in on-base percentage at .421.

Junior Sydney Long (Grand Blanc, Mich.) is hitting .319 (15-for-47) with seven extra-base hits for a team-high .574 slugging percentage, while also leading the pitching corps with a 3.18 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 79.1 innings. She has tossed two of WSU's three shutouts this season. Sophomore third baseman Kate DeWitt (Grand Blanc, Mich.) is batting .317 (26-for-82) with a team-leading totals of 14 RBI and nine extra-base hits.

Wayne State's three other pitchers have all thrown at least 35 innings. Junior Kyra Shadduck (DeWitt, Mich. [Lansing C.C.]) is 2-1 with a 4.31 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 39 innings, while Koopman is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 35.2 innings. Senior Hayden Batton (Plainfield, Ind. / Avon) has a 2-4 record with a 6.08 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 35.2 innings.

Head coach Nicole Tines is in her fifth season leading the Warriors.

LEADING THE OILERS
Entering today's home doubleheader vs. Hillsdale, Findlay is 22-8 overall with a .341 team batting average. Senior center fielder Jenna Poulson is batting a team-best .448 (26-for-58), while junior outfielder Anna Jones is hitting .431 (25-for-58). Senior shortstop Annika Bredel leads UF with eight home runs and 29 RBI, while slugging .772. Bredel also has 11 of Findlay's 32 stolen bases. Sophomore Meghan Heinsman has a team-high 14 doubles, along with 25 RBI.

Senior Alexys Antal has a 10-2 record in the circle with a 2.27 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 71 innings. She is also a threat at the dish batting .398 with 12 doubles and a team-best 15 walks. Six other pitchers have been in the circle for UF this spring. Senior Kayla Dykin is 5-3 with a 2.96 ERA And 46 strikeouts in 45 innings, while freshman Kaylynn Carter is 4-0 with a 3.32 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.

Danielle Lowe is in her 11th season leading Findlay.

UP NEXT
Wayne State is slated to play three road GLIAC doubleheaders this week starting Thursday (April 9) at Purdue Northwest (make-up of April 4 postponement). First pitch in Hammond, Ind. is slated for 1:30 PM CT.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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

#9 Kyra Shadduck: P; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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

#9 Kyra Shadduck
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: P