Scots End Season With Win Behind Arm of Senior

The College of Wooster softball team ended its season on Saturday with a North Coast Athletic Conference split with Hiram College, falling in game one 8-0 in five innings and winning game two 6-4.

Senior Rachael Dudziak came out for one last performance and gave Wooster the season finale win and their first over the Terriers since 2021.

Dudziak struck out six and pitched the complete game. She held off a rally from the Terriers, who scored two in the seventh and had the tying run on first before Dudziak struck out the final batter looking.

The offense gave her a boost with a three-run first, highlighted by RBIs from Tori Conner and Sarah Lodge.

The Scots scored another three in the fourth as Stephanie Griffin-Sanchez hit an RBI single and Julia Jennings a two-run single.

Jennings finished 2-for-3, while Conner went 1-for-2 with a double and RBI. Griffin-Sanchez's hit tied her for the program's career record for total hits (166).

In game one, Wooster could not figure out Hiram ace Darian Kanno who limited the Scots to just one hit in five innings.

Emma Hetkey's first at bat in the top of the first was Wooster's only hit. Kanno then retired six straight before walking a batter. Kaydee Clark and Lodge drew walks as Wooster's only other baserunners.

Hiram (21-15, 10-4 NCAC) piled on the runs with two in the third and fourth and another three in the fifth.

Entering Saturday, Wooster controlled their destiny in regard to making the NCAC Tournament.

A sweep would have gotten the Scots in, but with the split and Wittenberg's doubleheader sweep over Oberlin (6-26, 2-12 NCAC), the Tigers (20-19, 7-7 NCAC) claim the fourth seed in the upcoming tournament. Wittenberg swept Wooster in the regular season to determine the fourth-place tiebreaker.

Wooster concludes the year at 16-22 and 7-7 in conference play.