Boxscore

Findlay, Ohio -- The Wayne State University softball team (33-20) held off a late Ferris State rally (30-23) for a 7-6 triumph in the GLIAC Tournament winner's bracket final Saturday afternoon.  The game was delayed for two-and-a-half hours in the top of the fifth due to rain with WSU leading the Bulldogs 7-2.

WSU will face Ferris State, a 2-0 victor over Grand Valley in the loser's bracket final, on Sunday at 10 a.m. A Warrior win on Sunday will earn WSU an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.  If WSU falls in game one on Sunday, the "if necessary" game will be played at noon.

The Warriors jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as sophomore second baseman Nikki Fulton had a leadoff single and advanced to second when sophomore left fielder Logan White was hit by a pitch.  After a pop out, senior first baseman Rebecca Ryan singled to left scoring Fulton.

WSU scored five times in the bottom of the second for a 6-0 advantage.  Sophomore Julie Ingratta had a leadoff single.  Ingratta stole second and went to third on a ground out.  After a walk to senior shortstop Lauren Histed, Fulton was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Both Ingratta and Histed scored on a Bulldog throwing error to make it 3-0.  Senior third baseman Alison Allen singled in Fulton, and Ryan doubled in a pair of runs.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Allen smacked a solo home run increasing WSU's lead to 7-0.

Ferris State scored twice in the top of the fifth on a home run, a double and single before the rain forced the delay.

Neither team scored once play resumed in the fifth and sixth, but FSU had a two-out rally in the seventh. 

After WSU starter Sam Cain retired the first two batters in the seventh on fly outs, the No. 9 batter for FSU, Michelle Tononi, singled and scored on a double by Makenzi Peterson.  Morgan Kramerich then tripled to center field and scored on a two-run home run to left center by Amy Dunleavy.  With WSU holding a 7-6 lead, 2011 GLIAC Player of the Year Chelsea Morris hit a deep fly to left that White caught on the warning track.

Cain earned the win despite allowing six earned runs on 10 hits.  She struck out four and did not walked a batter.

Dana Bowler started for FSU and was lifted after 1.2 innings.  She allowed six runs (only one earned) on four hits.  Emily Carlson pitched the final 4.1 innings giving up one earned run on a home run.

Allen and Ryan each had two hits to lead the seven-hit attack for the Warriors.  The duo also combined for five RBI (two for Allen, three for Ryan).