Decatur, Ala. -- The 2012 Wayne State University softball team (1-0 overall) began the season with a 13-hit barrage against a pair of hurlers from West Georgia (2-1 overall) in posting a 9-1 triumph in a five-inning contest Friday morning on the opening day of the 2012 Charger Chillout hosted by the University of Alabama-Huntsville.

In the top of the first, the Wolves had back-to-back base hits, but Warrior pitcher Sam Cain (Taylor, Mich. / Kennedy) settled down and retired the next three batters.

In the bottom of the frame, sophomore second baseman Nikki Fulton (Stratford, Ont. / St. Michael Catholic S.S.) drew a leadoff walk and was safe at second on a muffed throw.  With two outs, junior left fielder Stephanie Foreman (Cambridge, Ont. / Preston) laced a two-run double to right center.

After a 1-2-3 for West Georgia in the top of the second, WSU increased its lead with a solo run.  Freshman centerfielder Shannon Hilton (Gilford, Ont. / Bradford) singled after fouling off three consecutive two-strike pitches.  She advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Fulton.

Wayne State added two more runs in the third but it could have been more as the Warriors had the bases loaded with one out.  Senior right fielder Alison Allen (Redford, Mich. / Farmington Hills Mercy), who led WSU with three hits in the contest, had a leadoff single.  She advanced to third on a misplayed sacrifice bunt.  With one-out, freshman catcher Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams) singled scoring Allen.  Senior designated player Rebecca Stanley (Waterloo, Ont. / Waterloo C.I.) greeted relief pitcher S. McInerny with an RBI single to right center.

WSU had thre hits in the fourth and scored once as sophomore third baseman Logan White (Brantford, Ont. / Johnson C.V.I.) had an infield hit leading off the inning.  Allen followed with a single and with one-out a single by Foreman loaded the bases.  An RBI ground out by sophomore Amanda Burnard (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth) plated White.

After the Wolves tallied their lone run in the top of the fifth, the Warriors scored three times in the bottom of the fifth for the mercy rule.  Freshman Shelby Spano (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson) had a pinch-hit single to start the frame.  Fulton had a one-out single, with White's base hit through the right side scoring Spano.  Allen doubled in Fulton, while White scored on a fielder's choice.

Cain allowed West Georgia just five hits and one walk, while striking out three.

Wayne State had 13 hits against two Wolve pitchers.
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In the second game of the day, WSU (1-1 overall) fell 7-5 to West Alabama (2-4 overall).

The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a one-out infield single by White.  She advanced to second as Allen reached on a error, and moved to third as Rebecca Ryan (Westland, Mich. / Dearborn Divine Child) walked to load the bases.  Foreman drove in White with a sacrifice fly.

The Tigers tied the score in the bottom of the inning on a two-out walk and an RBI double against freshman hurler Brianna Lee (Canton, Mich. / Salem).

UWA took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with five runs.  The rally started with a one-out double, back-to-back two-out walks and and RBI walk against Lee.  Junior Emily Wickerham (North Branch, Mich.) made her WSU debut but allowed a two-run single and a two-run double to right center.

Wayne State clawed its way back into the game with a four-run fifth.  Senior Lauren Histed (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Utica) had a leadoff single and advance one base on each of the next two ground outs.  Allen followed with an RBI single to left and Ryan had a single down the left field line.  Foreman then smacked a two-run double to center and scored on Spano's single up the middle to make it 6-5.

West Alabama scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on three consecutive one-out singles.

Both teams had eight hits in the contest but the Tigers benefitted from seven Warrior walks.

Ryan was the lone Warrior with a multiple-hit contest.

Lee allowed five earned runs in 3.2 innings on three hits and six walks.  Meanwhile, Wickerham surrendered the other two runs on five hits in 2.1 innings.  Each pitcher had one strikeout for WSU.

The Warriors will play a pair of in-region foes on Saturday -- Northern Kentucky at 10:30 am Central time followed by a 4:30 pm Central time game against #26-Indianapolis.