Eastern Wayne Today

Wayne State University is set to compete in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Softball Tournament for the fourth time in five years. The tournament was not held in 2020 due to COVID-19. Wayne State finished their season with a 9-15 record in the GLIAC, tying with Parkside but securing the No. 5 seed through tiebreakers.

The Warriors will face Ferris State, seeded fourth, in the opening game at 11 a.m. Central time on Thursday at The Stadium at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois. The winner will advance to play top-seeded Grand Valley State on Friday morning, while the loser will have another chance later on Thursday against either Purdue Northwest or Parkside.

Historically, Wayne State has been successful in the GLIAC tournament, winning 13 titles and compiling a 96-46 record over its 37 appearances. Their most recent streak of victories came between 2012 and 2016 when they won five consecutive titles.

This season's series against Ferris State saw Wayne State losing three out of four games. However, Wayne State holds an overall advantage in their historical encounters since 1982.

Key players for Wayne State include junior Rylie Josephson leading with a .388 batting average and senior Abby Favela with seven stolen bases. Graduate student Becky Hodder leads with walks and sacrifice bunts, while freshman Logan Forman has contributed significantly with extra-base hits and RBIs.

On the pitching side, senior Alexis Bonk leads with seven wins and a total of 84 strikeouts this season. Sophomore Sasha Buckberger and freshman Sydney Long also contribute to the team's efforts under third-year head coach Nicole Tines.

Ferris State's standout players include freshman Alexis Kozlowski who leads the team in several offensive categories and rookie Emma Gillard known for her speed on bases. Their pitching staff is led by Aryn Gallacher with a strong performance throughout the season.

In NCAA Division II rankings, Wayne State stands out for its sacrifice bunts, leading both within GLIAC and nationally through contributions from Hodder and Forman.