MIDLAND, Mich. – The Wayne State University softball squad (24-21 overall, 9-15 GLIAC) reached the halfway point of its stretch of eight games in four days with a split for the second consecutive day. The Warriors dropped Friday's opener, 9-1 in six innings, at Northwood University (23-18 overall, 11-13 GLIAC), before posting a 6-2 triumph in the nightcap.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Warriors took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Freshman
Bryanna Kressler (Kitchener, Ont.) had a leadoff infield single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior
Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.). After a pop out, freshman
Rose Myers (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) delivered an RBI single.
The Timberwolves tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth on a double, a single and a sacrifice fly. NU then tallied four unearned runs in the fifth as a WSU miscue on the leadoff batter was followed by back-to-back outs before four consecutive hits.
Northwood ended the game with four runs in the sixth, including two unearned runs.
IN THE CIRCLE
Junior
Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) was dealt the loss (15-8) after allowing nine runs (three earned) on 12 hits in 5.2 innings. She struck out 10 and walked one.
Makenzie Norton (8-3) earned the victory after limiting WSU to one run on six hits in six innings. She walked one but did not record a strikeout.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
Six different WSU batters had singles.
LEADING THE TIMBERWOLVES
Sydni Pauley went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBI, while Sydni Culps also contributed three hits.
GAME TWO RECAP
Wayne State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as freshman
Rainey Psenicka (Guelph, Ont.) had a one-out single and moved to second on a ground out. Kressler then plated Psenicka with an RBI single.
Neither team was able to score until the Warriors tallied three runs in the top of the fifth. Senior
Kylee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) had a leadoff double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore
Emma Adams (Rockwood, Ont.). Senior
Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont.) followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0. After a double by Psenicka, sophomore
Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.) produced a two-run single down the right field line.
Northwood cut its deficit in half (4-2) with a two-run frame in the bottom of the fifth.
WSU extended its lead in the seventh as Turkalj had a one-out single and moved to third on a double by Kressler. McClounie's sacrifice fly plated Turkalj, while junior
Ashley Messina (Troy, Mich.) had a two-out single scoring Kressler.
IN THE CIRCLE
Kressler improved to 5-7 by limiting Northwood to two earned runs on 10 hits. She struck out one and walked one.
Marissa Tiano (1-5) started for the Timberwolves and allowed four earned runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings. She struck out one and walked one. Norton pitched the final 1.2 innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
Five different WSU batters - Lucas, Psenicka, Turkalj, Kressler and Messina - had two hits apiece, with Turkalj having a team-best two RBI.
LEADING THE TIMBERWOLVES
Pauley went 3-for-4 for the second consecutive contest.
UP NEXT
Wayne State will host Ferris State for a GLIAC doubleheader on Saturday. Senior Day festivities get underway at 12:40 p.m., with first pitch slated for 1 p.m.
