ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The 2015 Wayne State University softball season came to a heart-wrenching conclusion on Sunday afternoon with a 9-6 eight-inning setback to No. 17-Southern Indiana (39-10).

The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second as junior third baseman Jade McGarr (Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic) had a leadoff double down the right field line.  Sophomore left fielder Devin Hentschel (Wyoming, Mich. / Rogers) worked a 10-pitch walk, which included fouling off four consecutive 3-2 pitches.  WSU starting pitcher Briana Lee (Canton, Mich. / Salem) advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt.  With two outs, sophomore first baseman Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont. / Galt C.I.) doubled down the left field line after receiving new life as a 1-1 foul pop up was dropped.

The Screaming Eagles knotted the game at two in the third on a two-run home run by Grace Clark.

The game remained 2-2 until the bottom of the sixth when Wayne State tallied four runs.  Senior catcher Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams) walked to lead off the frame.  Pinch-runner Hailey Lazarek (Allen Park, Mich.) went to second on a walk to McGarr.  Hentschel's sacrifice bunt advanced both runners into scoring position.  A wild pitch scored Lazarek with McGarr scoring on Lee's RBI single up the middle. With two outs, junior pinch-hitter Shelby Spano (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson) smacked her second pinch-hit home run of the post-season.

USI was able to tie the game at six in the top of the seventh.  Two base hits sandwiched around a pop up preceded a Warrior fielding error to load the bases.  Junior Mackenzie Boehler (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley) entered the circle and allowed a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3.  After just missing a 1-2 pitch, Screaming Eagle catcher Haley Hodges hit the next pitch over the center field fence to tie the game at six.

WSU sophomore hurler Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.) entered the game to start the eighth.  Two infield hits and aggressive base running put two USI runners in scoring position.  After an intentional walk, a sacrifice fly snapped the 6-6 deadlock and back-to-back singles plus a throwing error netted USI two more runs.

Hentschel had a bad hop base hit in the bottom of the eighth but that would be all for the Warriors.

Lee went 6.1 innings allowing five runs (two earned) on seven hits with one strikeout and two walks.  Boehler pitched 0.2 innings allowing one unearned run on two hits.  Only one of the three runs allowed by Butler in the eighth was earned.

McGarr reached base three times on two doubles and a walk.

Wayne State concludes the year with a 42-20-1 mark.  The 42 victories are the fourth-most in school history.