Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Box Score (HTML) Game 1   l   Box Score (HTML) Game 2

Canton, Ohio -- The Wayne State University softball team (27-9 overall, 7-5 GLIAC) used outstanding pitching, solid defense and a couple of big hits to record a road sweep at Malone University (10-22-1 overall, 2-16 GLIAC) Friday afternoon.

Game 1
WSU starter Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.) allowed just two hits in the opener - a two-out single in the first to Desi Hengoed and a two-out single in the seventh to Erika Gerber.  After Hengoed's hit, the next batter walker before Butler retired 18 straight Pioneers.  She finished with nine strikeouts and one walk while facing just 24 batters to improve to 13-4.

The Warriors pounded out nine hits but stranded seven runners as Jillian Coyle (7-10) went the distance in the circle for Malone.  She had three strikeouts and no walks.

Wayne State had scoring opportunities in the first (Jade McGarr [Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic] with a leadoff double) and second (back-to-back two-out singles by Amanda Burnard and Gabby Williams [South Lyon, Mich.]), before Burnard (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth) smacked a two-out solo home run to center field in the top of the fourth.  Burnard's only previous four-bagger came on March 14, 2012, against Minnesota State-Moorhead.

WSU also had a scoring chance in the fifth as Logan White (Brantford, Ont. / Johnson C.V.I.) and Butler had consecutive two-out singles.

Butler and Burnard each went 2-for-3 in the contest.

Game 2
After allowing a run in the top of the first on a solo home run to Emily Isla, Warrior hurlers Briana Lee (Canton, Mich. / Salem) and Butler combined to blank Malone over the final 6 2/3 innings.

Wayne State was able to get the equalizer in the bottom of the first as White had a one-out single and moved to second on a ground out by Butler.  Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams) followed with a run-scoring double to right field.

Lee (13-2) retired eight in a row until the fourth when Malone loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a walk.  She then pulled a Houdini act getting the next two batters to strikeout swinging followed by a fielder's choice to end the threat.

After Lee recorded two strikeouts and allowed two hits in the top of the fifth, Butler came in to shut down the Pioneers for her third save of the season.  Butler struck out six of the 10 batters she faced allowing just two hits.

Butler also drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the third.  Burnard had a leadoff single, and pinch-runner Catherine Rayos (Warren, Mich. / Mott) advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by McGarr.  A ground out by White advanced Rayos to third before Butler delivered an RBI single up the middle.

Butler recorded two of WSU's six hits off Malone pitcher Stephanie Byrne (3-12).

Wayne State concludes its weekend road trip with a two-game set at Ashland on Saturday.