UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – In a battle of two squads just outside the top 25 in this week's NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) weekly poll, the 30th-ranked Wayne State University softball team (25-9 overall, 4-4 GLIAC) managed a split at 26th-ranked and conference-leading Saginaw Valley State University (21-8 overall, 8-2 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon.  The host Cardinals won the opener 4-0 behind the two-hit shutout pitching of Sam Willman (10-3).  WSU rebounded for a 4-1 triumph in the nightcap as Warrior hurler Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) had a shutout along with a two-hitter going into the seventh inning.

GAME ONE RECAP

Through the first four innings of the opener, the Warriors had just two base runners – a two-out walk to Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont.) in the first, and a two-out walk to Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.) in the fourth.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals had a leadoff double in the bottom of the first by Danielle Hamilton, and she scored on a two-out single up the middle by Aubree Mouthaan.

SVSU added to its advantage in the bottom of the fourth as Julia Miller smacked her third home run of the season following an infield single by Courtney Reeves.

WSU had a chance to get on the scoreboard in the sixth as Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.) led off with a bunt single and moved to second on a one-out walk to Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont.).  However, the next two Warriors grounded out.

Saginaw Valley completed the scoring in the sixth as Evy Lobdell walked and moved to second on a passed ball.  With two outs, Anna Conrad had an RBI double to left.

IN THE CIRCLE

Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.) allowed four runs (three earned) on a season-high nine hits to fall to 14-7.  She struck out six and walked one.

Willman tossed her fourth shutout of the season by striking out four and walking three.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) and McClounie each had singles.  Butler had her 29-game hitting streak come to an end.

LEADING THE CARDINALS

Mouthaan and Reeves each had two hits for SVSU.

GAME TWO RECAP

After scoring just 12 runs in the first seven conference games, Wayne State pounded out nine hits and scored four runs to record its fourth consecutive conference doubleheader split.

The Warriors struggled to get anything going offensively through the first four innings as Willman retired 12 of the first 14 WSU batters, plus was aided by a pickoff.

Lobdell had a leadoff single in the second for SVSU but never got past second base.

After Lobdell's base hit, Guitar retired nine of the next 10 Saginaw Valley hitters with just a leadoff double by Meredith Rousse in the third being the only blemish.

Miller was hit by a pitch leading off the fifth, but the pinch runner never advanced past second base.

In the bottom of the fifth, Guitar helped her own cause with a leadoff single.  Barrett followed with a bunt single.  With one out, Hailey Lazarek (Allen Park, Mich.) advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt.  Butler's RBI single through the right side snapped the scoreless draw.  Buchanan followed with an RBI single plating Barrett.

Wayne State added to its lead in the sixth as Lucas had a leadoff single and went to second on McClounie's sacrifice bunt.  Barrett had a two-out infield single prior to Shelby Fridline's (Almont, Mich.) two-run double to left center.

Reeves was hit by a pitch with one out in the seventh, moved to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a single by Miller and scored on a sacrifice fly by Conrad to spoil Guitar's shutout bid.

IN THE CIRCLE

Guitar (9-1) allowed just one unearned run on three hits in her seven innings.  She struck out seven and walked one.  It was the fourth time this year Guitar had at least seven strikeouts in a contest.

Willman (10-4) started again for Saginaw Valley and yielded four earned runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings.  She walked one and had two strikeouts.  Annie Hansen struck out the lone batter she faced.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Buchanan and Barrett each went 2-for-3 with Barrett scoring twice.  Fridline had just three career RBI in 30 previous games for WSU before her two-run double.

LEADING THE CARDINALS

Rousse, Miller and Lobdell each had one hit for SVSU.

UP NEXT

Wayne State will play its third consecutive road doubleheader on Sunday at Northwood, part of a 12-game road trip.