HAMMOND, Ind. – The Purdue Northwest softball team split Saturday's regular-season finale doubleheader against Wayne State as the Pride pulled out a 9-8 victory in Game 2. The Warriors claimed a 3-0 win in the first game at Dowling Park. Sunday's doubleheader against Northwood has been canceled due to impending weather.
 
PNW honored its four seniors after the first game, including Courtney Blackwell, Sabryna Stanley, Taylor Stevens and Jessica Weaver.
 
The Pride finished the regular season at 14-24 (11-16 GLIAC) and will wait for official word on seeding in the GLIAC Tournament – which takes place Tuesday-Thursday, May 11-13, in Sandusky, Ohio. Wayne State closed the regular season at 21-19 (14-18 GLIAC) overall.
 
GAME 1: WSU 3, PNW 0
Wayne State's Brooke Nadolny tossed a three-hit shutout in the opening matchup. The right-hander had no-hitter until the Pride produced a pair of infield singles in the fifth inning.
 
The pitchers' duel featured Jessica Weaver in the circle for the Pride, who fell victim to just three earned runs on eight hits. Weaver (4-7) finished with two strikeouts and two walks in the complete-game effort. It was her final appearance in the circle at Dowling Park.
 
The Warriors scored a run on Brooke Turkalj's RBI single in the first inning and that was all the offense they would need. The visitors tacked on two more in the third on a two-run home run by Amy Claydon. Wayne State outhit PNW 8-3 in the first game as Allison Arnold (1-for-2), Taylor Stevens (1-for-1), and Jessica DeBoer (1-for-3) each recorded a single.
 
GAME 2: PNW 9, WSU 8
PNW held off the Warriors for a 9-8 triumph in a thrilling matchup in the nightcap.
 
Courtney Blackwell persevered through a slow start for her eighth win in the circle, while Sabryna Stanley delivered the heroics with a game-tying three-run homer in the fourth. The senior center fielder also came up clutch defensively by throwing out the tying run at the plate for the final out of the game.
 
Wayne State jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but Stanley's RBI double in the third, followed by a five-run fourth inning for the Pride, tied the game and shifted the momentum over to the PNW dugout. Kara Aloisio sparked the two-out rally with a two-run single and was followed by Kiara Negron's line-drive knock to left field. After a pitching change, Stanley blasted the second pitch deep over the right-field wall for a three-run shot which tied the game at 6-6. It was Stanley's second long ball of the season.
 
After the Warriors reclaimed the lead with two runs in the next inning, PNW rallied once more with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. This time it was Jessica DeBoer who delivered the clutch hit, a two-run double down the left-field line to tie the score at 8-8. She would eventually score on a wild pitch which proved to be the game-winning run.
 
In the top of the seventh, Wayne State had a runner reach second base on a wild pitch with two outs. Then, WSU's Shelby Miller singled to center field and the potential tying run was gunned down at the plate on a perfect one-hop throw from Stanley. Catcher Kiara Negron made a clean catch and tag to leave no doubt on the play.
 
Stanley (2-for-3) led the way with four RBIs on a double and home run. DeBoer (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Aloisio (2-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI), and Aubrey Shroyer (2-for-4) each produced multi-hit outings at the dish. The Pride racked up 11 hits for the second time in three games.
 
PNW finished up the home portion of its schedule with a 7-5 record at Dowling Park this season.