DETROIT -- After playing its first 29 games outside of Michigan, the 18th-ranked Wayne State University softball squad (27-4 overall, 6-0 GLIAC) had its home opener on Tuesday and didn't disappoint the home fans.  The Warriors blanked Grand Valley State University (18-6, 3-3 GLIAC) 4-0 in the opener and posted an 8-1 triumph in the nightcap to complete the sweep.

GAME ONE RECAP

WSU wasted little time as junior pitcher Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.) led off the bottom of the first with a single to right field.  She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior center fielder Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont. / Galt C.I.) and scored as senior third baseman Jade McGarr (Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic) ripped the first pitch she saw for a double to left.

GVSU had two runners in the top of the first on an error and a walk, and a two-out double in the second by Rachel Terwilliger.

Butler proceeded to retire 13 consecutive Laker batters after Terwilliger's two-bagger, until another Warrior miscue in the seventh.  Butler concluded the game with three straight outs, two on strikes.

The game remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth when sophomore second baseman Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) hammered a 1-0 offering high into the trees in left field.  Following an out and a GVSU error, Butler smacked a two-run home to left center knocking Laker starter Courtney Reinhold from the game.

IN THE CIRCLE

Butler, who entered the contest leading the nation in ERA (0.34), allowed just the one hit, while recording 12 strikeouts to one walk.  She improved her record to 16-2.

Reinhold (4-2) was tagged for four runs (three earned) in 4.1 innings on five hits.  She did not record a strikeout or a walk.  Allison Lipovsky pitched the final 1.2 innings allowing one hit and two walks.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Butler had two hits and two RBI, while both McGarr and Barrett had one hit and one RBI.

LEADING THE OPPOSITION

Terwilliger notched the lone Laker hit, a double.

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GAME TWO RECAP

After a scoreless first inning in the nightcap, Wayne State struck for three runs in the top of the second.  Sophomore outfielder Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont. / Mulock S.S.) had a leadoff single and moved to second on a one-out single by freshman shortstop Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont. / St. Anne Catholic).  Barrett followed with a two-run double to right center.  Senior catcher Ali Lince (St. Clair Shores, Mich. / Lakeview) worked a walk, and after a pop out, Butler singled up the middle plating Barrett.

GVSU went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second, before the Warriors tallied another three runs in the third.  McGarr had a leadoff bunt single and was sacrificed to second.  Junior designated player Emily Cava (Brampton, Ont. / Cardinal Leger S.S.) delivered a single to center advancing McGarr to third, where she scored on McClounie's sacrifice fly.  After fouling off a 1-2 pitch from reliever Ellie Balbach, Barrett walloped her second home run of the day, this one just inside the left field foul pole.

The Lakers broke the scoreless drought in the fourth as Jenna Lenza had a two-out double to left center and scored on a single by Balbach.

Wayne State completed the scoring in game two with a pair of runs in the seventh.  Freshman first baseman Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) had a two-out double down the left field line that went over the third base bag, and on the very next pitch Butler drilled a two-run shot to right center for her second round-tripper of the day.

IN THE CIRCLE

Butler (17-2) went the distance for the second time today, allowing just one run on four hits with eight strikeouts to zero walks.

Sara Andrasik (6-2) was tagged with the loss after surrendering five earned runs on six hits in 2.1 innings with three strikeouts to one walk.  Balbach allowed three earned runs on 10 hits in her 4.2 innings of work.  She struck out two and did not walk a batter.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Butler and Buchanan each went 3-for-5 with Butler driving in three, while Barrett went 3-for-4 with four RBI.  McGarr contributed two hits as part of WSU's 16-hit attack.

LEADING THE OPPOSITION

Lenza had two of GVSU's four hits.

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UP NEXT

Wayne State will be at home on Saturday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against GLIAC rival Lake Superior State.