ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Wayne State University softball squad (6-3 overall) extended its winning streak to four games with a pair of in-region victories on Saturday during the second day of the Lewis University Dome Invitational.  The Warriors went extra innings to defeat Wisconsin-Parkside (2-9 overall) 3-0 in nine innings in game one, then WSU recorded an 8-0 six-inning triumph over Lewis University (2-2 overall) in the nightcap.

With the four wins in the last 24 hours of games, WSU's 36th-year head coach Gary Bryce has equaled the all-time NCAA Division II wins record of 1,215 held previously by Bloomsburg's Jan Hutchison (1978-2010).

GAME ONE RECAP

Wayne State had at least one base runner in each of the first six innings against the Rangers, leaving the bases loaded three times (third, fourth and sixth innings) plus stranded a leadoff triple by Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont.) in the fifth.

Meanwhile, Warrior pitcher Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) retired 11 of Wisconsin-Parkside's first 12 batters until a hit by pitch and single with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.  Guitar had a 1-2-3 fifth, and worked around a two-on with one out jam in the sixth with a foul out and a ground out.

After WSU went 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.) entered the circle and shut the door despite allowing two walks and a Wayne State miscue thanks to a caught stealing.

The Warriors were unable to score in the top of the eighth despite the international tie-breaker rule being invoked.  Butler struck out two in the bottom of the eighth to keep the game scoreless.

Butler led off the top of the ninth with an RBI double over the left fielder's head scoring the placed runner (Guitar).  Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont.) had a bunt single with Butler scoring on an errant throw.  Lucas had a sacrifice bunt, with Buchanan scoring an unearned run on a fielder's choice.  Butler notched a strikeout and back-to-back ground outs to end the contest.

Wayne State stranded 14 runners compared to 10 for the Rangers.

IN THE CIRCLE

Guitar did not figure into the decision despite limiting the Rangers to two singles in six innings.  Guitar struck out four and walked two.  Butler did not allow a hit in her three innings in the circle.  She struck out four and walked two to improve to 3-2 on the season.

Carly Dundee (1-5) went the distance for Wisconsin-Parkside.  She allowed three runs (one earned) on 13 hits with three strikeouts to zero walks.  

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Butler went 5-for-5 with a run scored and the game-winning RBI.  Lucas, McClounie and Guitar each had two hits in the contest.

LEADING THE RANGERS

Jessica Shields and Rachel Seefeldt each had singles for UWP.

GAME TWO RECAP

The first 12 batters of the game (six for each team) were retired with only one ball being hit out of the infield.

Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.) and Guitar had back-to-back walks to start the third.  With one out, Butler's chopper in the hole at short allowed McClounie to beat the shortstop to third.  Following a fielder's choice at the plate, Guitar scored on a wild pitch and Lucas delivered a two-run single to right to make it 3-0.

Butler retired the first 10 Lewis batters until a high chopper in front of the plate went for an infield single with one out in the fourth.  Butler buckled down to strikeout the next two Flyer hitters, both looking.

Butler led off the fifth with a four-pitch walk, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Buchanan.  Butler scored when Lucas reached on an error, Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.) grounded a double right over the first base bag to put two runners in scoring position.  Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington)
Laced a two-run triple to right center increasing the WSU advantage to 6-0.  After a Lewis pitching change, Emma Adams (Rockwood, Ont.) walked on four pitches before McClounie was hit by a pitch.  Barrett crossed the plate on Guitar's ground out.

After a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth, Butler singled up the middle to start the sixth.  Buchanan followed with a bunt single with Butler advancing all the way to an uncovered third base.  Lucas plated Butler with a sacrifice fly.

The Flyers had another infield hit in the sixth with one out, but a ground out and strikeout ended the contest.

IN THE CIRCLE

Butler improved to 4-2 with her second shutout of the weekend.  She struck out nine and did not walk a batter, while allowing two infield singles.

Paige Fossey (1-1) allowed seven runs (five earned) in 4.1 innings with two strikeouts to three walks.  Lainie Schweickert recorded the final two outs of the fifth inning with one strikeout and one walk.  Taylor Boelte hurled the sixth inning allowing one earned run on two hits.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Butler and Turkalj accounted for four of WSU's eight hits with two hits apiece.  Lucas drove in three, while Barrett had two RBI.

LEADING THE FLYERS

Emily Guske and Carolyn Nojiri each had hits for Lewis.

UP NEXT

Wayne State will conclude the Dome Invitational with a Sunday morning contest against the Winona State (Minn.) Warriors.