CLERMONT, Fla. – The Wayne State University softball team (14-5 overall) won both games on Sunday at the NTC Spring Games.  The Warriors rallied to defeat Concordia-St. Paul (2-9 overall), 5-4 in nine innings, in the opener, then upended Augustana (S.D.) 6-1 in game two.

GAME ONE RECAP

The Golden Bears scored one unearned run in the top of the first and added two more unearned runs in the third as the Warriors had four miscues in the contest.

WSU evened the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth as Ashley Messina (Troy, Mich.) drew a one-out walk, and Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) reached on a two-out error.  Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.) walloped a 1-0 offering over the right field fence.

Neither team was able to break the deadlock in regulation.  CSP scored once in the top of the eight on two hits and an error after beginning the frame with the placed runner (international tiebreaker).

Wayne State was able to score the equalizer as Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) advanced the placed runner with a sacrifice bunt.  Emma Adams (Rockwood, Ont.) fouled off three two-strike pitches before lacing a single to left to tie the game at 4-4.

In the top of the ninth, the Golden Bears placed runner was erased on a fielder's choice, and despite two hits by CSP, they left the bases loaded.

Guitar led off the bottom of the ninth with a sacrifice bunt moving Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.) to third.  Buter was intentionally walked before Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont.) ended the game with a sacrifice fly.

IN THE CIRCLE

Haley Hurd (Atwater, Ohio / Waterloo) tossed the first 2.2 innings allowing three unearned runs on five hits.  She struck out two and walked one.  Guitar hurled the next 3.1 innings holding CSP hitless with two strikeouts.  Butler earned the win in relief.  She allowed the international tiebreaker runner in her three innings of work.  Butler struck out two and did not walk a batter.

Samantha Sullivan (1-5) went the distance for CSP allowing five unearned runs on six hits.  She struck out four and walked five.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Buchanan was the lone WSU hitter with two hits, plus had the game-winning RBI.  Butler drove in three with her four-bagger.

LEADING THE GOLDEN BEARS

Nicole Thompson, Justine Schattner and Hannah Carlson each had two hits.

GAME TWO RECAP

The Vikings (5-5 overall) took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a couple of singles and a WSU error.

After being held hitless for the first four innings, the Warriors grabbed a 2-1 advantage with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Butler had a two-out single and Buchanan followed with a base hit.  Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont.) singled up the middle plating Butler to tie the game at 1-1.  Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.) had a single scoring Buchanan with the go-ahead run.

Wayne State would score four times in the bottom of the sixth on three hits and an Augie miscue.  Adams had a leadoff single and pinch-runner Alea Kainz (Wyandotte, Mich. / Roosevelt) advanced to second on a single by Messina.  Butler walked on four pitches with two outs, and Buchanan reached on an error with Kainz scoring.  Lucas followed with a bases-clearing double to left center.

IN THE CIRCLE

Butler won her second contest of the day by limiting the Vikings to one unearned run on six hits.  She struck out seven and did not walk a batter.

Lexy Pederson (3-3) started for Augustana and surrendered four runs (two earned) on six hits in 5.2 innings.  She walked one and did not record a strikeout.  Olivia Wolters gave up two unearned runs on one hit and one walk in the four batters she faced.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Lucas went 2-for-3 with four RBI, while five other WSU batters had one hit apiece.

LEADING THE VIKINGS

Kylie Rome had two of Augustana's six hits.

UP NEXT

Wayne State will play two games on Monday – 3:30 p.m. vs. in-region rival Drury, followed by a 6 p.m. contest against Slippery Rock.  Both games will be played at Hancock Park.