CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Wayne State University softball squad (14-13 overall) won twice by shutout on Friday with victories over Sioux Falls (7-0) and Bridgeport (4-0).  With the game one triumph over the Cougars (13-4), head coach Gary Bryce moved into 16th place on the NCAA All-Time Wins List (all three divisions combined) with 1,130 victories.

In the opener, sophomore pitcher Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.) returned to the circle for the first time since Monday and retired the first nine Sioux Falls batters before a leadoff single in the top of the fourth, which would be just one of three baserunners in the game for the Cougars.  WSU had a two-out error in the fourth and a leadoff walk in the fifth.

After producing just one hit through the first two innings, the Warriors batted around in the third scoring four times and leaving the bases loaded.  Butler and freshman outfielder Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont. / Mulock S.S.) each singled prior to a sacrifice fly by senior second baseman Nikki Fulton (Stratford, Ont. / St. Michael Catholic S.S.), who reached as the ball was misplayed allowing both Butler and Lucas to score.  Junior third baseman Jade McGarr (Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic) and freshman Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) started a string of four consecutive hits which also saw singles by sophomore designated player Emily Cava (Brampton, Ont. / Cardinal Leger S.S.) and sophomore first baseman Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont. / Galt C.I.).

WSU tacked on three insurance runs in the sixth as freshman Hailey Lazarek (Allen Park, Mich.) had a one-out pinch-hit single, moved to second as Lucas reached on an error and scored on a single by Fulton.  Senior Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams) had a single to load the bases and McGarr delivered a two-run single to center field.

Butler (7-5) struck out 10 and walked one in her six innings of work, while facing just 21 batters.  Junior Mackenzie Boehler (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley) retired all three batters she faced in the seventh.

McGarr led the Warriors 12-hit attack with a 3-for-3 performance plus a walk, along with two RBI.  Fulton contributed two hits and two RBI as different WSU batters recorded hits in the contest.

In the nightcap against the Bridgeport Purple Knights (3-10), WSU scored twice in the top of the first to back the five-hit shutout pitching of senior Briana Lee (Canton, Mich. / Salem).

Butler walked on four pitches to start the game and Lucas followed with a bunt hit.  A passed ball moved both runners up and Fulton brought home Butler with a sacrifice fly.  Bryce then followed with another sacrifice fly scoring Lucas.

Meanwhile, Lee retired nine of the first 10 batters with the only runner reaching on a two-out error in the second.  Bridgeport had two hits in the fourth and two hits and a walk in the fifth but Lee was able to get out of both jams unscathed.  A ground ball double play in the seventh erased a leadoff single by the Purple Knights.

WSU scored an unearned run on a pair of Bridgeport miscues in the fifth, and in the sixth Lazarek had a leadoff walk, moved to second on a hit by Butler, stole third and scored on a ground out by Lucas.

Lee (6-5) struck out nine and walked one while scattering five hits.

The Wayne State offense totaled seven hits with Butler going 2-for-3 with a walk.

The Warriors will conclude their spring break trip with a pair of games on Saturday against Sioux Falls.