DETROIT -- The 24th-ranked Wayne State University softball squad (34-12 overall, 13-7 GLIAC) continued its trend of splitting home doubleheaders as the Warriors won game one 3-2 over visiting Ashland University (27-20 overall, 12-8 GLIAC) on Senior Day, while the Eagles rallied for a 5-4 triumph in the nightcap. WSU has split all four of its home league twinbills. Wayne State will conclude the regular season at home on Friday with a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader against GLIAC rival Hillsdale. The Warriors, Chargers and Ohio Dominican are all 13-7 in conference play, just percentage points by league leading Grand Valley State at 12-5.
GAME ONE RECAP
WSU scored once in each of the first two innings for an early 2-0 advantage.
In the top of the first, senior
Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont.) doubled with one out, moved to third on a fly out, then scored on a two-out walk to
Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont.) with ball four also being a passed ball.
The following inning,
Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.) had a leadoff single but a fielder's choice and a caught stealing left Wayne State with two outs and no one on base.
Emma Adams (Rockwood, Ont.) was hit by a pitch as was senior
Emily Cava (Brampton, Ont.). Senior
Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.) singled down the right field line plating pinch-runner
Jamie MacNeil (Brampton, Ont.).
The Eagles cut their deficit in half in the fourth as Paige Summers had a two-out double scoring pinch-runner Bree Gill, who had replaced Alexis Van Horn following a leadoff single.
The Warriors regained their two-run margin in the fifth as Butler singled and Buchanan reached on a sacrifice bunt with an error. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, with Butler scoring on a sacrifice fly by
Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.).
Summer led off the top of the seventh for AU with a single. Jenny Raguz had a one-out single and a ground out advanced both runners. Following an intentional walk to Dayna Denner, Ally Farrah beat out a a dribbler in front of the plate to make it 3-2. Van Horn then flied out to center to end the game.
IN THE CIRCLE
Butler (19-8) won for the fourth consecutive decision, but had her streak of shutouts end at three. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts to one walk.
Paige McMenemy (15-7) hurled the first five innings for Ashland surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits. She struck out two and walked one. Hannah Stroe allowed one hit in her inning of work.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
Butler went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
LEADING THE EAGLES
Summers went 3-for-3 with an RBI.
GAME TWO RECAP
In a contest with three lead changes, Ashland scored the final three runs for a 5-4 victory.
Butler led off the contest by smacking a 1-1 offering over the right field fence for her seventh home run of the season.
The Eagles scored twice in the bottom of the first on three hits for a 2-1 lead.
WSU knotted the score at 2-2 in the third as
Shelby Fridline (Almont, Mich.) had a one-out infield single. She advanced to second on a single by Butler, and scored on a double by Buchanan.
Lucas led off the third with a single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington). With two outs,
Ashley Messina (Troy, Mich.) had a single to left scoring Lucas.
In the fourth, Buchanan had a one-out single and went to second on a ground out. Lucas then laced a line drive in the hole that glanced off the third baseman's glove allowing Buchanan to score from second.
In the bottom of the sixth, two of the first three Eagle hitters were retired before a double by Raguz and a two-run bloop single by Kayla Troyer tied the game at 4-4. Farrah's RBI single to right center scored Troyer with the eventual winning run.
IN THE CIRCLE
Guitar (13-3) yielded five runs (four earned) on nine hits in six innings. She struck out four and walked three.
Stroe (9-9) allowed 10 hits in seven innings but just four runs (three earned). She struck out three and did not walk a batter.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
Butler, Buchanan and Lucas each went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
LEADING THE EAGLES
Denner and Troyer each went 2-for-3.
UP NEXT
Wayne State will conclude the regular season at home on Friday with a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader against GLIAC rival Hillsdale.
