Box Score Box Score (HTML)Findlay, Ohio -- The second-seeded Wayne State University softball team (39-9 overall) advanced to the winner's bracket final with a 4-1 victory over Walsh University (29-18) Saturday evening in a GLIAC Tournament second round contest.
For the second straight post-season game, the Warriors struck in the bottom of the first inning.
Emily Cava (Oakville, Ont.) had a leadoff single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Logan White (Brantford, Ont.) and score as
Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.) doubled down the left field line. With two outs,
Julie Ingratta (Markham, Ont.) reached on an error with Butler scoring the second run of the frame.
After WSU hurler
Briana Lee (Canton, Mich./Salem) struck out the side in the top of the second, the Warriors added to their lead in the bottom of the inning.
Amanda Burnard (Canton, Mich./Plymouth) had a leadoff single and pinch-runner
Catherine Rayos (Warren, Mich./Mott) advanced to second on a groundout by Lee. Rayos moved to third on an infield hit by
Shannon Hilton (Gilford, Ont.), then scored Wayne State's third run on Cava's sacrifice fly.
The Cavaliers tallied their lone run in the fourth on two singles sandwiched around a passed ball followed by a safety squeeze bunt by Eryn Simon.
Lee then retired 11 of Walsh's final 12 batters.
Wayne State added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth as
Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont.) had a leadoff bunt single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams). She advanced to third on Ingratta's single up the middle and scored on
Jade McGarr's (Guelph, Ont.) double to center field.
Wayne State will play Grand Valley State at noon on Saturday in a winner's bracket game.
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