SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team opened the Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic with a 51-46 victory against host Wittenberg University inside the Pam Evans Smith Arena.

BW (7-3) had one player scored in double figures led by junior forward Sydney Clark (Parma/Lake Ridge Academy) with a game-high 13 points.  Freshman guard Hannah Fecht (Hilliard/Davidson) came off the bench to score nine points while freshman guard Alex Starr (Millersburg/West Holmes) grabbed a career-high and game-high 10 rebounds.

Wittenberg (3-5) had two players score in double digits led by Michelle Brunswick with 12 points.  Taylore Bundy contributed 11 points. In the first quarter, the Tigers jumped out to the largest lead of the game at 9-0 on a jumper by Brunswick at the 6:40 mark.  The Yellow Jackets closed out the period on a 9-5 run to cut the lead down to 14-9 on a jumper by Clark as the first stanza came to an end.

The Tigers opened the second quarter on a 6-2 run to take a 20-11 on a three-pointer by Becca Ziska at the 8:28 mark.  BW answered with a 10-2 run to cut the lead down to 22-21 on a layup by Starr at 2:52.  Wittenberg scored the final three points of the half and led 25-21 at the intermission.

The Yellow Jackets opened the second half on a 6-3 run to cut the lead down to 28-27 on a jumper by sophomore guard Katie Smith (Fairview Park/Fairview) at 6:33.  BW closed out the third period on a 7-2 run to take its first lead of the game at 34-33 as senior guard Allyson Helleis (Rocky River) stole a pass and went the length of the floor to score on a layup at the final buzzer. 

 
Wittenberg opened the fourth quarter on 7-0 run to take a 40-34 when Brunswick split a pair of free throws at the 6:53 mark.   The Yellow Jackets responded with a 9-0 run to regain the lead at 43-40 on a pair of free throws by Clark at 4:45.    BW outscored the Tigers 8-6 down the stretch and sealed the victory with four free throws in the final eight seconds as Clark and senior guard Janaya Feaster (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) each hit a pair from with the last coming with two seconds remaining. 

The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Tuesday, December 29 when they play their second and final game of the Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic against NAIA Purdue-Calumet at 2 p.m.