ASHLAND, Ohio -- The Wayne State University softball team (18-13 overall, 2-0 GLIAC) began GLIAC play with a pair of road wins (3-2, 9-6) at No. 24 Ashland University (17-3 overall, 2-2 GLIAC) Sunday afternoon.

In the opener, WSU scored single runs in the top of the first, second and third innings and held on for the 3-2 triumph to end Ashland's 12-game winning streak.  In the nightcap, the Warriors trailed 5-0 after two-and-a-half innings, but Wayne State scored nine runs in the third and fourth frames for the 9-6 victory.

Starting Warrior pitcher Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.) began game one with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman outfielder Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont. / Mulock S.S.) and scored on an RBI double by senior second baseman Nikki Fulton (Stratford, Ont. / St. Michael Catholic S.S.).

The next inning, junior center fielder Shannon Hilton (Gilford, Ont. / Bradford) drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Butler.

WSU made it 3-0 in the third as Fulton had a leadoff single, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams) and came in to score on a two-out RBI single by junior Shelby Spano (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson).

In the circle, Butler retired seven of the first eight Eagle batters before Ally Farrah tripled and scored on an RBI double.  Butler induced a ground out then a strikeout to end the inning.  Butler then set down seven of the next eight AU hitters before Farrah reached on a two-out error in the fifth.  A leadoff single along with a two-base error in the outfield led to an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh for Ashland.

Butler (9-5) recorded eight strikeouts to one walk, while allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits.  Butler and Fulton each had two hits to account for four of WSU's eight hits in the contest.

The Eagles scored five runs (two earned) off Warrior starter Briana Lee (Canton, Mich. / Salem) in 2.2 innings of game two on four hits and four walks.  Lee's throwing error contributed to all of the unearned runs.  Junior Mackenzie Boehler (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley) earned the win in relief by limiting Ashland to one run on two hits in 1.1 innings before turning over the pitching duties to Butler, who slammed the door by facing just 10 batters in three innings retiring five on ground outs, two on strikes, a pop out and a caught stealing.

Offensively, the Warriors came alive in the bottom of the third as Devin Hentschel (Wyoming, Mich. / Rogers) was hit by a pitch leading off the frame.  After a fielder's choice and an AU error, Butler singled to load the bases.  Lucas put WSU on the scoreboard with an RBI single.  Fulton's RBI single made it 5-2.  Bryce worked a bases loaded walk to force in another run.  Junior third baseman Jade McGarr (Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic) followed with an RBI single and coupled with an Eagle miscue knotted the game at five.  Spano's pinch-hit sacrifice fly gave Wayne State a 6-5 lead.

The hosts tied the game in the top of the fourth on another triple by Farrah along with a wild pitch.

WSU regained the lead with a three-run bottom of the fourth.  Sophomore Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont. / Galt C.I.) had a one-out single and Butler followed with an infield single.  After a fielder's choice, Fulton walked to load the bases.  Bryce's three-run double snapped the 6-6 deadlock and completed the scoring.

Butler and Bryce each had two hits in the nightcap, with Bryce driving in four runs.

Wayne State will continue its GLIAC opening road trip with a twinbill at Grand Valley State on Tuesday.