Wayne State University Athletics

Softball 4/8/2026 11:06:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Softball Begins Six-Game Road Trip With Twinbills At Purdue Northwest and Roosevelt

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball team (12-17 overall, 4-6 GLIAC) 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 trails 10-19 in the all-time series vs. Purdue Northwest that began on March 30, 2018. The Pride have won the last three meetings, and 15 of the last 18. WSU is just 2-12 all-time in Hammond.

The Warriors have a 6-1 advantage in the all-time series against Roosevelt, including a 3-0 mark on RU's home field (WSU won twice during the regular season last year, and 4-3 in a GLIAC Tournament contest last May).

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Sophomore first baseman/pitcher Elly Koopman (Hudsonville, Mich.) leads the squad with a .343 batting average (24-for-70), doubles with nine, and on-base percentage at .432.

Junior Sydney Long (Grand Blanc, Mich.) is hitting .313 (15-for-48) with seven extra-base hits for a team-high .563 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 .295 (26-for-88) with a team-leading 14 RBI. DeWitt and sophomore shortstop Hunter Near (Coopersville, Mich.) are tied for the team lead with 12 walks.

Wayne State's three other pitchers have all thrown at least 35 innings. Junior Kyra Shadduck (DeWitt, Mich. [Lansing C.C.]) is 2-2 with a 4.11 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 46 innings, while Koopman is 2-3 with a 4.59 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 42.2 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 PRIDE
Purdue Northwest will take a 19-15 overall record, along with a 5-5 GLIAC mark into the doubleheader with WSU for first-year head coach Claire Schapker.

Freshman Gracie Jensen is batting a team-best .404 (40-for-99), with team-best totals of nine doubles and 33 RBI. Sophomore Kylie Madura is hitting .366 (34-for-93), while junior Kylie Dugan is batting .352 (38-for-108) with a team-leading 20 stolen bases and 15 walks.

The top pitchers in terms of innings pitched for PNW are senior Hailie Charmat and sophomore Abbey Bond. Charmat is 6-4 with a 2.27 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 64.2 innings. Bond is 3-5 with a 5.25 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.

LEADING THE LAKERS
Roosevelt is 8-24 overall and 2-10 in the GLIAC after splitting Wednesday's doubleheader vs. Grand Valley State. RU took the opener 7-6 in eight innings, before falling 13-0 to GVSU in the nightcap.

Sophomore Kendall Pearson is hitting a team-best .318 (28-for-88), while junior Ella Dvoracek is hitting .317 (32-for-101) with a team-leading 12 stolen bases. Freshman Sophia Barofsky leads the Lakers with 12 RBI.

Junior Kailey Hancock has compiled a 3-5 record in 18 appearances (11 starts) with a 3.87 ERA And 31 strikeouts in 81.1 innings. Sophomore Riley Czarnecki has a 5-11 mark with a 4.20 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 75 innings for fifth-year head coach Michele Alexander.

UP NEXT
After the back-to-back doubleheaders on Thursday and Friday, WSU will be off on Saturday, before playing a twinbill at Parkside on Sunday.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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