ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Despite having the start of the game pushed back twice during the day for a total of five hours, then a 39-minute rain delay in the bottom of the first, the NCAA Opening Round contest between Wayne State University (41-19-1) and top-ranked Missouri-St. Louis (45-6) did not disappoint those wanting to see two of the top pitchers in the region.

Warrior redshirt sophomore Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.), after walking the Tritons leadoff batter in the bottom of the first on five pitches during a strong downpour, was able to pitch around a runner who moved into scoring position with one out once the game resumed holding the powerful UMSL lineup off the scoreboard.

In fact, after the one-out single in the top of the first by Alex Stupek, Butler retired 12 of the next 13 UMSL hitters with the lone exception being a two-out home run on a 1-1 offering by Katie Wood in the third.  Jenna Boudreau was credited with an infield single in the fifth and a two-out walk to Hannah Wessels led to a comebacker to end the frame.

Butler (22-9) finished the contest with seven strikeouts to two walks, while holding Missouri-St. Louis to four hits.

Meanwhile, Hannah Perryman (27-3) limited Wayne State to three singles, two coming in the top of the seventh.  She struck out 10 and did not walk a batter.

The Warriors had a chance to knot the game in the top of the fourth as both Butler and senior second baseman Nikki Fulton (Stratford, Ont. / St. Michael Catholic S.S.) reached on dropped fly balls by Wood.  An infield fly and a ground out ended the threat.

WSU threatened again in the seventh after the first two batters were retired.  Sophomore left fielder Devin Hentschel (Wyoming, Mich. / Rogers) hit a line shot into center field and sophomore designated player Emily Cava (Brampton, Ont. / Cardinal Leger S.S.) followed with her second hit of the contest.  After fouling off a 2-2 pitch, then taking ball three, pinch-hitter Ali Lince (St. Clair Shores, Mich. / Lakeview) fouled out to the shortstop to end the game.

Saturday morning at 11 am will feature UMSL and Southern Indiana, with the Warriors to play Grand Valley State at 1:30 p.m. in an elimination game.