ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Wayne State University softball squad (4-3 overall) won both of its games on the opening day of the 2017 Lewis University Indoor Tournament at the Dome at the Ballpark.  WSU blanked Illinois Springfield (4-3 overall) 4-0 in game one, before defeating Missouri S&T (4-7 overall) 15-4 in six innings in the nightcap.

GAME ONE RECAP

WSU threatened in the top of the second as freshman Emma Adams (Rockwood, Ont.) had a two-out double and advanced to third on a single to right by sophomore Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.).  However, the next batter grounded out.

In the third the Warriors plated two runs.  Senior Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont.) began the rally with a two-out single up the middle.  After stealing second, Buchanan scored on a single up the middle by junior Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont.).  Lucas, who took second on the throw, scored on a double to right center by freshman Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.).

Wayne State added two more run in the fourth.  Junior Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) was hit in the helmet by the first pitch of the inning, and advanced to second on a bunt single by Adams.  With one out, sophomore Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) had an RBI single up the middle, then Adams scored on a single to right by graduate student Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.).

IN THE CIRCLE

Butler notched her first shutout of the campaign and evened her record at 2-2 by limiting the Prairie Stars to three singles.  Butler struck out nine and did not walk a batter.

Rachel Goff (0-1) suffered the loss for UIS after allowing two earned runs on five hits in three innings of work.  Jaycee Craver hurled the final four innings.  Craver surrendered two earned runs on six hits.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Buchanan, Lucas and Adams each had two hits as part of WSU's 11-hit attack.

LEADING UIS

Katie Woolridge had two singles for the Prairie Stars.

GAME TWO RECAP

After allowing an unearned run in the bottom of the first to the Miners, Wayne State batted around in both the fourth and sixth innings.

Barrett had a one-out single and Adams followed with a single to right center to put runners on the corners.  McClounie worked a walk to load the bases, and sophomore Ashley Messina (Troy, Mich.) knotted the game at 1-1 with a single to center.  Guitar walked to put WSU ahead 2-1 and Butler's ground out made it 3-1.

Buchanan had a two-run single off the shortstop's glove and Lucas followed with an infield single.  During Turkalj's at bat, Buchanan scored on a wild pitch before Barrett had an RBI single up the middle increasing the Wayne State advantage to 7-1.

A ground rule double in the bottom of the fourth made it 7-2.  In the top of the sixth, nine consecutive Warriors reached base after two of the first three batters were retired.  Barrett had an RBI double to right center before McClounie chipped in an RBI single to left.  Pinch-hitter Jamie MacNeil (Brampton, Ont.) delivered a two-run single to right prior to Butler's two-run triple to left center to make it 13-2.  Lucas and pinch-hitter Shelby Fridline (Almont, Mich.) each had RBI infield singles.

Missouri S&T tallied two runs in the bottom of the sixth on a 3-2, two-out single.

IN THE CIRCLE

Guitar won her second consecutive start by limiting the Miners to one earned run on four hits in five innings.  Junior Haley Hurd (Atwater, Ohio / Waterloo) allowed two runs in her inning in the circle.  Guitar and Hurd each struck out two with Guitar allowing three walks and Hurd one.

Kati Viets fell to 2-3 after surrendering 10 earned runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings.  Ashley Hill faced eight batters and allowed five earned runs on six hits, while recording one out.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Six different players had a multiple-hit affair with both Messina and Barrett each notching three hits.  Butler, Lucas, Adams and McClounie each had two hit affairs.  Nine different Warriors had RBI with Butler garnering a team-best three.

LEADING THE MINERS

Hannah Franceschini went 3-for-3 with a run scored.

UP NEXT

Wayne State will face two more GLVC schools on Saturday with contests against Wisconsin-Parkside (11 a.m. Central) and tournament host Lewis (1:30 p.m. Central).