DETROIT -- The Wayne State University softball squad (31-9 overall, 11-5 GLIAC) has the longest current winning streak in the GLIAC at six games heading into Wednesday's home doubleheader against Lake Erie College (4-29 overall, 1-21 GLIAC).  The Warriors are set to host six home games this week, also welcoming Northwood (24-12 overall, 15-5 GLIAC) on Friday and Lake Superior (6-20 overall, 5-15 GLIAC) on Saturday for league doubleheaders.

WSU, ranked No. 35 in the nation, is set to play eight games total this week, having already earned two road victories Tuesday at Ferris State. Wayne State outscored the Bulldogs 20-4 during the doubleheader in Big Rapids, winning 11-3 and 9-1.

The Warriors will conclude the regular season with the six games in four days at home.  Wayne State has played just four home games prior to this six-game stretch, winning all four at the WSU Softball Complex.
 

Setting the Stage	Wayne State University Softball vs. Lake Erie, Northwood & Lake Superior
Dates	Wednesday, April 23  |  Friday, April 25  |  Saturday, April 26
Times	3:30 PM on Wednesday & Friday  |  1:00 PM on Saturday
Locations	Detroit, Mich. (WSU Softball Complex)
Web	Twitter: @WayneStWarriors  |  #WarriorSB
Live Stats	Wayne State Live Stats
Opponent Information	Lake Erie Softball  l  Northwood Softball  |  Lake Superior Softball

WEEK STORYLINES
The Warriors have won six straight to improve to 11-5 in GLIAC play.  Entering Wednesday's games, Wayne State is fifth in the regular-season league standings.  Northwood has the same amount of losses as Wayne State in the standings, but has earned four more victories to date.  WSU has allowed the fewest runs in league play (30) in the GLIAC, 15 fewer than second-place Grand Valley.

Wayne State will honor three seniors prior to Saturday's home doubleheader against Lake Superior.  Outfielder Logan White, first baseman/catcher Amanda Burnard and second baseman Julie Ingratta are the three seniors for Wayne State in 2014.

SCOUTING LAKE ERIE
The Storm have lost 11 straight games entering Wednesday's contests.  Lake Erie sports a .271 batting average as a team and has hit 15 home runs this season.  Freshman Darrian Yanek leads the team with five home runs and 23 RBI, while sophomore Kate-Lynn Urgo (.325 batting average) and Lindsay Valvoda (.324) sport the highest batting averages for LEC.  Valvoda also leads the Storm in hits (34), at-bats (105), doubles (8) and runs (18).

SCOUTING NORTHWOOD
The Timberwolves have won eight of nine games dating back to April 12.  Northwood has won four consecutive contests, sweeping home doubleheaders over Lake Superior and Tiffin.  NU has just one more series besides Wayne State, visiting rival and GLIAC leader Saginaw Valley on Saturday.  Northwood leads the GLIAC in runs scored with 211 and home runs with 29.  The Timberwolves are also batting .332 as a team.  Senior Sam Zaborowski is hitting .413 with six home runs and 31 RBI, while senior Stacey Klonowski also has six homers and 31 RBI.  Sophomore outfielder Jessica Tostrud leads the squad with a .419 average, while senior Natalie Lampman has added seven home runs.  Junior hurler Maddison Sebald (11-4) has a 2.05 ERA in 102.2 innings for the Timberwolves. 

SCOUTING LAKE SUPERIOR
The Lakers have dropped five straight contests and 10 of their past 12 games overall.  Lake Superior plays six straight road games this weekend, beginning with a doubleheader Friday at Saginaw Valley.  LSSU is led in batting average by Amanda Maxon, who has a .357 clip in 2014.  Allison Traczyk is just behind with a .356 BA.  The pair have also combined for five home runs and 22 RBI for the Lakers.  Pitcher Brandi Anderson (4-8) has four complete games in 11 starts, while carrying a 3.73 ERA in 71.1 innings pitched for the Lakers.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Wayne State is 13-1 all-time against the Storm in the series that dates back to 2009.  The Warriors have a 57-21-1 mark against the Timberwolves, including a 17-2-1 mark in its last 20 games at home against Northwood.  WSU is 68-6 in the all-time series against Lake Superior, including winning 14 straight in Detroit dating back to 2002.

LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors earned two victories Tuesday at Ferris State.  The Wayne State offense posted 20 runs total in the doubleheader, winning 11-3 and 9-1 over the Bulldogs.  Lyndsay Butler earned her 15th win on the mound in the opener, while Briana Lee improved to 15-2 in the nightcap.  The Warriors pounded out 22 hits during the doubleheader, with freshman Emily Cava reaching base seven times during the two games.  Cava also had five hits and scored six runs.  Amanda Burnard and Gabby Williams each had home runs in the game two victory.

NEXT UP
Following the conclusion of the regular season this week, the Warriors will look to have claimed a spot in the GLIAC Tournament.  The 2014 GLIAC Tournament is set to start Friday, May 2 in Findlay, Ohio.  Wayne State is the reigning, two-time tournament champions.

PRESEASON POLL
WSU was predicted to finish second in the GLIAC as voted on by the league's coaches announced in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll.  Wayne State, the two-time GLIAC tournament champions, received six first-place votes and 156 points to finish just behind Grand Valley State's six first-place votes and 159 points.  Ashland garnered the other two first-place votes and 147 points.  Rounding out the poll were Ferris State (122 points), Ohio Dominican (113), Northwood (111), Tiffin (101), Findlay (98), Saginaw Valley (73), Hillsdale (65), Walsh (52), Lake Superior (36), Malone (26) and Lake Erie (16).

NATIONAL LEADERS
In the national stats released by the NCAA on April 20, Wayne State was second in Division II in ERA at 0.90, trailing Tampa's 0.65.  The Warriors were 26th in winning percentage (.763) and 14th in fielding percentage (.972).  Individually, junior hurler Briana Lee was third in ERA (0.76), and 13th in strikeouts per seven innings (9.4).  Lyndsay Butler was fifth in ERA (0.79), ninth in strikeouts per seven innings (10.3), and seventh in shutouts (9).  Offensively Butler was ranked 17th in triples with five and 13th in triples per game at 0.15.

WARRIOR BENCH BOSS
Gary Bryce, who is in his 33rd season as Wayne State's head softball coach, earned his 1,100th career victory Saturday in a road doubleheader sweep at Ashland.  Bryce enters the week with an all-time mark of 1,102-668-7.  Bryce became the 17th coach in NCAA Softball history (all three Divisions combined) to reach the 1,100-win plateau.  Assistant coach Pat Kent, who played four years (1980-1983) at WSU, is in her 31st season as an assistant coach.  Nicole Abel, a four-year Warrior letterwinner (2007-2010), is in her third season on the staff.

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