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Wayne State University Athletics

Ashley Messina 2018 vs. Davenport
Ashley Messina totaled five hits in the two WSU victories.
2
Winner Wayne State WS 13-3
1
California (Pa.) CAL-S 4-11
Winner
Wayne State WS
13-3
2
Final
1
California (Pa.) CAL-S
4-11
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Wayne State WS 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 9 1
California (Pa.) CAL-S 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0

W: Guitar, Megan (8-2) L: Carly Konopka (0-4)

7
Winner Wayne State WS 14-3
5
Kutztown KUTZ-S 7-9
Winner
Wayne State WS
14-3
7
Final
5
Kutztown KUTZ-S
7-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Wayne State WS 0 1 0 3 1 0 2 7 12 1
Kutztown KUTZ-S 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 5 9 1

W: Ameel, Paige (5-1) L: Amber Brugger (1-3) S: Guitar, Megan (2)

Game Recap: Softball | | Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Softball Wins Twice to Improve to 14-3

Bryce moves into sole possesion of seventh place on the all-time wins list.

CLERMONT, Fla. – The 16th-ranked Wayne State University softball team (14-3 overall) won twice on Thursday.  WSU edged California of Pa. (4-11 overall) 2-1 in game one, then held on for a 7-5 triumph over Kutztown University (7-9 overall) in the nightcap.

With Wayne State's win in the opener today against California (Pa.), head coach Gary Bryce moved into seventh place on the NCAA All-Time Wins List (all three divisions combined) snapping a tie with Yvette Girouard (Southwestern Louisiana from 1981 to 2000 and LSU from 2001 to 2011) at 1,285 victories.  Bryce's all-time mark stands at 1,287-745-8 after the victory over Kutztown.  Next on the list in sixth place is former DePaul coach Eugene Lenti at 1327 wins.

GAME ONE RECAP

The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as junior right fielder Rachelle Clayton (Guelph, Ont.) had a leadoff single and advanced to second on a single by classmate Emma Adams (Rockwood, Ont.).  Sophomore shortstop Rose Myers (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) followed with an RBI single up the middle.

Sophomore center fielder Bryanna Kressler (Kitchener, Ont.) led off the fifth with her team-leading eighth double of the season.  She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.).  Senior Ashley Messina (Troy, Mich.) plated Kressler with the game's second run on an RBI single through the right side.

The Vulcans made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh.  Abby Sachse had a one-out double to left center and moved to third on a ground out.  Alexa Pastor hit a smash to short which was mishandled allowing Sachse.  Kaitlyn Corle fouled out to end the game.

IN THE CIRCLE

Senior Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) faced just 25 batters allowing two hits, one walk and via an error.  Guitar (8-2) struck out 10 while surrendering the one unearned run.

Carly Konopka (0-4) allowed both WSU runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings.  She struck out two and walked three.  Hannah Clunk pitched the final 2.2 innings and allowed just one hit.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Messina, Clayton and Adams each had two hits.

LEADING THE VULCANS

Sachse had one of CUP's two hits and scored the only run.

GAME TWO RECAP

WSU starter Paige Ameel (Marysville, Mich.) cruised the first four innings-plus retiring the first 14 batters.

The Warriors had built a 5-0 advantage to that point before the Golden Bears kept chipping away.

Wayne State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on a one-out double by Messina and a two-out RBI single by Adams.

WSU added to its lead in the fourth with a trio of runs.  Kressler reached on a fielding error, and Turkalj followed with an RBI triple to make it 2-0.  Messina greeted reliever Bridget Bailey with an RBI single.  Clayton worked a walked and Adams singled to load the bases.  Myers hit a sacrifice fly plating pinch-runner Alexis Abruzzo (Sugar Grove, Ill.).

The Warriors extended their lead in the fifth as senior third baseman Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.) smacked her second home run of the season leading off the frame.

KU's Tamara Jennings hit a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to pull the Golden Bears within 5-2.

Wayne State would regain the five run margin with a pair of runs in the seventh.  McClounie had a bunt single and Kressler followed with a hit up the middle.  Turkalj's bunt single loaded the bases with no outs.  Messina had an RBI single, before Clayton's sacrifice fly provided a much-needed insurance run.

In the bottom of the seventh, Hannah Auvil had a leadoff double and moved to third on a single by Cheyenne Jones.  After a fly out, Alyssa Donato laced a two-run double down the left field line to make it 7-4.  Following a single by Sara Keeny, Guitar replaced Ameel in the circle and walked Katelyn Ostaszewski on five pitches to load the bases.  Jennings sacrifice fly cut the WSU advantage to two (7-5), before Jenna Lipowski struck out swinging to end the game.

IN THE CIRCLE

Ameel (5-1) allowed five earned runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings.  She struck out two and did not walk a batter.  Guitar earned her second save by retiring two of the three batters she faced.

Amber Brugger (1-3) suffered the setback after allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits in three-plus innings.  She struck out one and did not walk a batter.  Bridget Bailey surrendered four earned runs on nine hits in four innings.  She struck out two and walked one.

LEADING THE WARRIORS

Turkalj and Messina each went 3-for-4 with a run scored.  McClounie and Adams each had two hits as WSU recorded 12 hits in the contest.

LEADING THE GOLDEN BEARS

Keeny, Auvil and Jones each had two hits.

UP NEXT

Wayne State will continue its spring break trip with a pair of games on Friday.  The Warriors will battle Merrimack at 9:30 a.m. and Millersville at 2 p.m.

 
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