MELBOURNE, Fla.-- The Wayne State University softball team (16-3 overall) split, 1-1, on the fourth day of the Warriors' Spring Break trip in Melbourne, Fla.  WSU fell, 11-3, to No. 27 Florida Tech in five innings, before topping No. 20 Southern New Hampshire, 4-1 on Tuesday afternoon. 

GAME ONE RECAP
The Warriors trailed 4-0 in the first inning as Florida Tech sparked its offense with two hits.  Nicole Shinsky hit a double into left center to start the hitting spree with Krista Patteson got on base by an error. Emily York walked to advance the runners before Hailey Leonard blasted a grand slam in center field. 

WSU continued to be scoreless in the second inning, but the Panthers extend their lead to seven (7-0) as Karina Suicava reached first base on an error and she advanced two second off Alexus Smith's fielder choice.  Elaine Brown hit a single up the middle to drive in Suicava. Smith and Brown later scored off a Shinsky single. 

Senior Gabby Williams (South Lyon, Mich.) posted a double into left field and put the Warriors on the score board after being drove in off a senior Jade McGarr (Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic) single in the third inning. 

Florida Tech scored three more runs to increase its lead to nine (10-1) in the bottom of the third. Leonard hit a leadoff single and advanced to third base from Ashley Montion's single.  Kaitlin Buchholz walked to load the bases before Leonard scored off a wild pitch.  Two more walks for the Panthers send Montion and Buchholz home. 

In the fourth inning, sophomore Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) poked a triple into right field and scored on a sophomore Shelby Fridline (Almont, Mich.) single.  WSU trailed Florida Tech, 10-2. 

The Panthers added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, as Leonard hit a double into right center.  Montion reached first base on a fielder's choice and advanced around to third off a Buchholz walk and an error in favor of Suicava.  Montion scored when Smith was hit by a pitch. 

Wayne State started the fifth inning with three straight singles from junior Allie Buchanan (), McGarr and freshman Megan Guitar.  Buchanan scored on a sacrifice fly to center field from Barrett, but the Panthers notched the third out to seal the 11-3 victory. 

IN THE CIRCLE 
Senior Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.) accepted the loss and started in the circle for the Warriors. She surrendered four hits and gave up seven runs in 1.1 innings. 

Sophomore Haley Hurd (Atwater, Ohio / Waterloo) pitched the remaining 2.2 innings and gave up four runs off three hits. Hurd struck out two batters and walked five. 

Rachel Pence pitched five innings for the Panthers giving up seven hits and three runs.  She struck out three batters to one walk. 

LEADING THE WARRIORS 
Senior Shelby Spano (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson) went two-for-three at the plate for the Warriors. 

LEADING THE OPPOSITION 
Leonard led Florida Tech with three hits and four RBI. 

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GAME TWO RECAP
Stellar defense from both Wayne State and Southern New Hampshire kept the contest scoreless for the first three innings. 

WSU took the 4-0 lead in the fourth inning as McGarr had a leadoff single and advanced to second on an error. She later was drove in to score from a sophomore Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont. / Mulock S.S.) single. Junior Emily Cava (Brampton, Ont. / Cardinal Leger S.S.) singled up the middle to move Lucas to second. Freshman Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont. / St. Anne Catholic) then drove in Lucas off an error. Barrett hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Cava. 

Diana Jamgochian started the fifth inning with a leadoff single and ran to second on a sacrifice bunt from Katie Horiuchi.  Lindsey Bolduc hit a single up the middle to drive in Jamgochian. The Warriors continued to lead, 4-1, after the fifth. 

The Warriors sealed the victory with six outs in seven batters over the sixth and seventh inning. 

IN THE CIRCLE
Guitar started in the circle for the Warriors and faced three batters. 

Senior Mackenzie Boehler (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley  pitched the remainder of the contest and allowed four hits.  She gave up one run and struck out five batters. 

Southern New Hampshire's Nicole Guberllini pitched six innings and surrendered nine hits and gave up four runs.  She struck out one batter to zero walks. 

LEADING THE WARRIORS 
Cava and Fridline each had two hits in the Warriors' nine-hit attack. 

LEADING THE OPPOSITION 
Bolduc, Katie Caruso, Horiuchi and Jamgochian each had one hit for the Penmen. 

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UP NEXT 
Wayne State will compete against Southern Connecticut State (9 a.m.) and Merrimack (11 a.m.) on March 17th in Clermont, Fla.