FINDLAY, Ohio -- The Wayne State University softball team (39-17-1) advanced to Saturday's winner's bracket final with a 1-0 eight-inning victory over Walsh University (23-15) Friday evening at the 2015 GLIAC Tournament being held at the Marathon Diamond Sports Complex.

Arguably the best two pitchers in the GLIAC in 2015 started in the circle in this winner's bracket second round contest.

WSU's Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.), who earlier in the day was honored as the 2015 GLIAC Pitcher of the Year, and Walsh senior Casi Rohr, who led the league in total strikeouts, staged a classic pitcher's duel.

Butler allowed four hits in five innings in the circle with four strikeouts and two walks before giving way to junior Mackenzie Boehler (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley) after a leadoff double in the sixth by Marissa Bondoni.  Boehler threw 13 pitches, eight for strikes, in sandwiching a pair of strikeouts around a high fly to the first baseman to end the threat.

In the top of the seventh, Boehler struck out the side on 14 pitches to keep the contest scoreless.

The game was not without scoring chances.  Walsh left the bases loaded in the second, and the Warriors stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the frame.

The Cavaliers had a golden opportunity to strike first in the top of the third as Nikki Newman had a one-out single and Bondoni followed with a double down the right field line.  WSU right fielder Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont. / Mulock S.S.) quickly retrieved the hit and fired a strike to senior second baseman Nikki Fulton (Stratford, Ont. / St. Michael Catholic S.S.) who's throw easily nailed Newman at the plate.  With a runner at third and two outs, Butler ended the inning with a ground out.

WSU left two runners on base in the fourth including sophomore Devin Hentschel (Wyoming, Mich. / Rogers) who had a two-out double.

In the top of the eighth, Newman had a one-out single to left but the next two Walsh batters were retired.

In the bottom of the frame, Lucas and Fulton combined on the offensive end for the victory.  Lucas laced the first pitch she saw in this at bat to right field for her third hit of the contest.  On the very next offering from Rohr, Fulton ripped an RBI double over the left fielder's head and Lucas was able to score wtihout a throw.

Boehler (5-2) earned her fifth straight win by retiring nine of the 10 batters she faced, including six on strikes.

Rohr (17-9) allowed just the extra inning run on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.  Newman and Bondoni each had two hits for Walsh, who had five hits in the contest.

Lucas had three of WSU's six hits.

Wayne State will play Hillsdale at noon in the winner's bracket final.  The winner advances to Sunday's championship round, while the loser will have to play the winner of the loser's bracket at 2 p.m. to advance to the championship round on Sunday.