N. MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Timely hitting in the fifth inning and a solid pitching performance by Rachel Pritchard (Wilmington, DE/Concord) lifted the Wilkes University softball team past Waynesburg University on Friday afternoon at the Snowbird Tournament. With the victory the Colonels finished 6-1 overall in their seven games at the Spring Break tournament.

Wilkes is now 6-3 overall while Waynesburg dropped to 1-2 with the non-conference loss.

The Yellow Jackets scored one unearned run in the top of the first inning to grab the early lead following a Wilkes fielding miscue.

It wasn't until the fifth inning when the Colonels could crack the Waynesburg defense. Ar'riyauna Fleming (Lorton, VA/Flint Hill School) led off the bottom of the fifth with a single to shortstop but then was caught stealing. Caylee-Mae Williams (Yuba City, CA/River Valley) started the rally again with two outs as the sophomore doubled to left center. Jordyn Kondras (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) then tied the game with an RBI double to right center. After Sennie Viramontes (Anaheim, CA/Magnolia) was hit by a pitch Sarah Gibson (Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley) came through with the go-ahead RBI single through the left side that scored Kondras from second to put the Colonels ahead 2-1.

Waynesburg nearly tied the game in the top of the sixth but Viramontes threw home to Gibson to tag out a Yellow Jacket trying to score from second on a hit up the middle.

Pritchard got Waynesburg in order in the top of the seventh with a strike out, foul out, and line out to preserve the one-run victory. She improved to 3-1 on the season in the circle, allowing one run (zero earned) on five hits and one walk in seven innings. Pritchard stuck out six Yellow Jackets during the strong performance.

Seven different Colonels finished the game with one hit.

The Colonels will finish off their southern trip tomorrow (Saturday) with a doubleheader at Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C. starting at 11:00 a.m.