Livonia, MI - On Saturday, the softball team said farewell to seven seniors in their final home series. Valerie Bertani (SR/Westland, MI), Abby Jewell (SR/Livonia, MI), Nicole Payne (SR/Canton, MI), Alexis Powell (SR/Canton, MI), Maria Rodriguez (SR/Dearborn Heights, MI), Makenzie Trowbridge (SR/Trenton, MI), and Samantha Zarins (SR/Shelby Township, MI) are this year's senior class. In game one against Cornerstone University, Michigan-Dearborn jumped out on top with two runs in the bottom of the first. Cornerstone took a 4-2 lead in the top of the third off starter Gina Verduzco (SO/Portage, MI). The Wolverines would retake the lead with a four-run bottom of the third capped by Ellie Kauten (SO/Shelby Township, MI)'s two-run homerun. Cornerstone scored three more runs in the top of the fourth to take a 7-6 lead. Then Michigan-Dearborn's offense took over. Powell doubled in two runs in the bootom of the fourth and Kylie Hill (JR/Adrian, MI) added a single with an RBI. The Wolverines then ended the game with a six run sixth inning. Kauten doubled in a run and Bertani tripled in two runs in the inning. Payne then singled in Bertani ending the game 16-8. Kauten and Powell each had three RBIs in the win. Candace Kitchen (FR/Clarkston, MI) got the win in relief of Verduzco.

In game two, Cornerstone jumped out on top 1-0 in the top of the first off Alex Elwell (SR/Kalamazoo, MI). Cornerstone added four more runs in the fourth and then two more in the fifth inning as Cornerstone starter Brooke Leanard stifled the Wolverines offense allowing six hits and just one run on a Sarah Prashad (FR/Mississauga, Ontario) single. Corerstone would win the game 7-1.

The loss ended the regular season for the Wolverines with an overall record of 29-16 and 12-6 in the WHAC. The softball team finished in third place in the WHAC and will play the University of Northwestern Ohio in the first round of the WHAC Tournament on Wednesday, May 4th, at 6:00pm. The WHAC Tournament is held at Pacesetter Park in Sylvania, Ohio. The softball team will play again on Wednesday night at 8:30pm. The tournament continues on Thursday and concludes with the championship game on Friday. For the complete bracket, please click here.

The senior class was a part of a turnaround that saw the team finish above .500 the last two seasons including a runner-up finish in last year's WHAC Tournament. Bertani is a two-time All-WHAC Player as well as an All-Academic Player. Powell and Trowbridge were Honorable Mention All-WHAC Players last season along with All-Academic Honors. Rodriguez, Trowbridge, and Zarins were WHAC All-Academic Players along with NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Injuries cut short the senior seasons for both Jewell and Trowbridge. Jewell was 6-4 on the season before her injury. She might return to pitch in the conference tournament. Trowbridge was batting .385 with 13 RBIs before an injury ended her season.