BOXSCORES:  GAME 1     GAME 2

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball squad (13-15 overall, 5-5 GLIAC) split a conference doubleheader at the WSU Softball Stadium on Sunday afternoon against the Ohio Dominican University Panthers (13-17 overall, 7-3 GLIAC).  WSU won the opener 9-3, but fell 14-13 in the nightcap.

The Warriors scored five times in the first two innings of Sunday's opener and cruised to a 9-3 victory.

Sophomore second baseman Nikki Fulton (Stratford, Ont. / St. Michael Catholic S.S.) led off the bottom of the first with a single, her seventh consecutive hit.  Sophomore left fielder Logan White (Brantford, Ont. / Johnson C.V.I.) followed with a sacrifice bunt, and senior third baseman Alison Allen (Redford, Mich. / Farmington Hills Mercy) delivered an RBI single to right.

In the second inning, freshman center fielder Shannon Hilton (Gilford, Ont. / Bradford) doubled and advanced to third on a single by senior shortstop Lauren Histed (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Utica).  Fulton then produced her eighth straight hit recording a two-run double to left center.  With two outs, Allen smacked a 3-2 offering up the middle for an RBI single.  Senior first baseman Rebecca Ryan (Westland, Mich. / Dearborn Divine Child) contributed an RBI double to right center making it 5-0.

ODU scored once in the top of the fourth, but the Warriors answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame.  White had a two-out single and scored on Allen's double to right center.  Ryan then produced an RBI single through the left side increasing WSU's lead to 7-1.

The Panthers tallied two runs in the top of the fifth, but WSU responded with a pair of runs in its at bat.  Hilton led off the inning with a home run down the left field line.  Histed had a one-out single, went to second on a passed ball and scored on White's two-out double to left center.

WSU senior pitcher Sam Cain (Taylor, Mich. / Kennedy) improved to 8-8 by limiting ODU to three earned runs on eight hits.  She struck out one and walked one.  Panther started Rachael Stanzel surrendered five runs on eight hits in two innings, before Kelsey Seeds hurled the final four innings. 

The top four in WSU's lineup - Fulton, White, Allen and Ryan - combined for 10 hits, five runs and eight RBI.

Sunday's nightcap saw the teams combine for 27 runs and 34 hits as ODU held off a late rally by the Warriors for a 14-13 win.

Wayne State went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first on Allen's second home run in as many days.  The Panters scored once in the first and added four runs in the second to chase WSU starter Emily Wickerham (North Branch, Mich.).

The Warriors pulled within a run at 5-4 with a trio of runs in the third.  Fulton had a one-out double and scored on a single by White.  A wild pitch moved White to second where she scored on a single by Allen.  It marked the 10th consecutive plate appearance that Allen had reached base (eight hits and two walks).  Ryan doubled to left center plating Allen but was later tagged out at home trying to score from second on a single by sophomore catcher Julie Ingratta (Markham, Ont.).

ODU greeted WSU reliever Briana Lee (Canton, Mich. / Salem) by batting around in the third scoring five runs on four hits, with one WSU error, a walk and a hit by pitch.

Trailing 10-4 after three innings, the Warriors scored twice in the fourth on the first collegiate home run by freshman Shelby Spano (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson).  Histed scored the other run as she reached on an error, and came around to score on back-to-back two-out hits by White and Allen.

Single runs in the fourth and fith by ODU increased its lead to 12-6, but WSU scored seven times in its final two at bats only to come one run shy as the Panthers scored twice in the bottom of the sixth.

Allen went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBI, while Fulton had two doubles and scored twice.  White had three hits and three RBI, while Spano and Ryan each had three hits as well.

Wickerham suffered the setback as she allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in two innings.  Lee allowed nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits in her four innings of work.

ODU's Kendall Lust earned the win despite allowing 16 hits in six innings and 12 runs (10 earned).  Stanzel entered in the seventh to earn the save.

Wayne State will play its next six games on the road starting with a league twinbill at Findlay on Wednesday.