Boxscore

Indianapolis, Ind. -- The Wayne State University softball team (30-21 overall) began the 2013 NCAA tournament with a 5-1 setback to the top-ranked University of Indianapolis Greyhounds (51-6 overall) Friday afternoon at Baumgartner Field on the campus of UIndy.

The Warriors hit the ball hard in the top of the first as junior second baseman Nikki Fulton (Stratford, Ont. / St. Michael Catholic S.S.) lined a ball into left center that was tracked down by the center fielder Samantha Krcelich.  Junior center fielder Logan White (Brantford, Ont. / Johnson C.V.I.) dropped a base hit into right field to extend her on-base streak to a WSU season-high 20 games.  Neither of the next two WSU hitters were able to get a hit to sustain the rally.

In the bottom of the first, sophomore designated player Taylor Russell smashed a leadoff home run over the center field fence, her 16th of the campaign.  Senior third baseman Kelsey Rummel followed with a single to right field then stole second base.  She advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by pitcher Jennifer DeMotte.  Following a double by junior Alexa Alfaro, sophomore Briana Lee (Canton, Mich. / Salem) replaced freshman Mackenzie Boehler (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley) in the circle for the Warriors.

Lee allowed a leadoff single in the second then retired the next three batters.  In the fourth, sophomore Casey Williamson had a leadoff single but was caught stealing for just the second time in 36 attempts for the second out of the frame.

The Greyhounds increased their lead in the fourth on a pair of singles sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt and a groundout.  Williamson hit a one-out home run to right center in the bottom of the fifth, her 13th of the season.

Wayne State kept battling and in the top of the sixth, Fulton had a leadoff single up the middle, the second time in the game that she reached base after a two-out walk in the third.  White grounded into a force out, then senior right fielder Stephanie Foreman (Cambridge, Ont. / Preston) followed with a single to center for her 200th career hit.  Sophomore Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams) lined a single over the shortstop's head to load the bases prompting the UIndy coach to replace DeMotte (25-2) with freshman Morgan Foley.

Freshman third baseman Jade McGarr (Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic) worked a full count walk to score White with WSU's lone run.  A strikeout and a pop out left the bases loaded.

In the bottom of the sixth, Kreclich had a leadoff single and was bunted to second. Freshman left fielder Erica Goodwin then contributed an RBI double to right center to complete the scoring.

Lee pitched the final 5.1 innings allowing three earned runs on eight hits with one strikeout and one walk.  Boehler (17-5) surrendered two earned runs on three hits, while facing five batters.

DeMotte allowed one earned run on five hits in 5.1 innings with two strikeouts and one walk.  Foley notched UIndy's first save of the season by retiring the last five batters she faced after walking McGarr.

Wayne State will play Ashland (27-19) in an elimination game at 12:30 pm on Saturday following the winner's bracket contest between Lewis (31-16) and UIndy at 10 a.m.