CLERMONT, Fla. -- The #24th-ranked Wayne State University softball team (17-5 overall) won a pair of games on Thursday.  The Warriors let two three-run leads slip away before downing Kutztown (10-8 overall) 9-6.  WSU defeated California, Pa. (6-7 overall) 7-5 in the nightcap.

GAME ONE RECAP

Wayne State scored three times in the top of the first.  Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.)had a leadoff single, a Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont.) followed with a sacrifice bunt.  A walk to Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont.) preceded an RBI single by Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.).  A sacrifice fly Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) made it 2-0 and after a single by Emma Adams (Rockwood, Ont.), Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.) had a sacrifice fly.

The Golden Bears tallied three runs on two hits and four walks by Warrior starter Haley Hurd (Atwater, Ohio / Waterloo).  Butler entered the circle to end the first and proceeded to retire eight of the next nine KU hitters.

WSU regained a three-run cushion in the top of the fourth as Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) had a leadoff single and Hailey Lazarek (Allen Park, Mich.) reached on an error.  Butler's double scored Lazarek as Guitar had scored on the previous error.  Barrett delivered an RBI single to make it 6-3.

Kutztown evened the contest at 6-6 with a trio of runs in the fourth on four hits and a Wayne State miscue.

In the top of the fifth, Guitar reached second and scored on a single by Butler to snap the 6-6 draw.  Buchanan reached on an error with Butler scoring on a single by Lucas.  The Warriors added an insurance run in the sixth as Adams reached on an error and pinch-runner Alea Kainz (Wyandotte, Mich. / Roosevelt) scored on a triple by Guitar.

IN THE CIRCLE

Hurd allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits in 2/3 of an inning.  She had one strikeout and four walks.  Butler (10-4) limited the Golden Bears to three runs (one earned) on six hits in 6.1 innings.  She struck out four and walked one.

Bridget Newman (1-3) started for Kutztown and yielded eight runs (two earned) on 10 hits in 4.2 innings.  She struck out two and walked two.  Savannah Nierintz recorded the final seven outs.  She allowed one unearned run on one hit with three strikeouts.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Butler went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI, while Turkalj, Adams and Guitar each had two hits in the contest.

LEADING THE GOLDEN BEARS

Gabby Tareila had three of KU's eight hits.

GAME TWO RECAP

Just like game one of the day, WSU scored in the top of the first.  Butler had a leadoff triple and scored when Buchanan reached on an error.  Buchanan then scored as Lucas reached on an error.

The Vulcans knotted the game at 2-2 on a two-run single by Hailey Wilson in the bottom of the second.

Barrett blasted a three-run home run with two outs in the top of the third to regain the lead for Wayne State.  Butler (hit by pitch) and Turkalj (walked) were aboard for RBI Nos. 3, 4 and 5 on the day for Barrett.

The Warriors increased their lead to 6-2 in the fourth as Butler had a double, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch.

WSU tallied its final run in the fifth as Barrett garnered a one-out single and scored on a two-out base hit by Ashley Messina (Troy, Mich.).

California pulled within 7-5 with a three-run sixth.  A two-out single Courtney Sinclair and a walk to Kaity Finley preceded a two-run double by Emily Price.  Wilson had an RBI single to cut the Wayne State advantage to two.

IN THE CIRCLE

Guitar went the first six innings to improve to 5-0.  She allowed five earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts to four walks.  Butler notched her second save of the season by recording a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

Portia McBride (1-2) surrendered six runs (four earned) on five hits in four innings of work.  She struck out two and walked one.  Cierra Funke pitched the final three innings and limited WSU to one earned run on six hits.  She recorded three strikeouts to zero walks.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Butler, Barrett, Adams and Messina each had two hits in the contest.

LEADING THE VULCANS

Hailey Wilson had two hits and drove in three.

UP NEXT

Wayne State has four games remaining on its spring break trip.  The Warriors will play Seton Hill (4-7) at 8 a.m. on Friday, followed by a 10:30 a.m. contest against Clarion (1-15).  WSU will face Bloomsburg (7-5) at 9 a.m. on Saturday and concluding the Florida portion of the schedule with an 11:30 a.m. game vs. Nova Southeastern (13-16).