WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The Wayne State University softball team (7-8 overall) played two very different games on Wednesday.  The Warriors rallied from a 10-3 deficit to defeat D'Youville College (3-10 overall) 11-10 in game one, then was edged 2-1 by Southwest Minnesota State (9-14 overall) in the nightcap.

GAME 1 RECAP
After the Saints scored three in the top of the first, WSU responded with a three spot in the bottom of the frame.

Junior designated player Rylie Josephson (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Central) began the inning with a double to left center and moved to third on a bunt single by graduate student center Becky Hodder (Orangeville, Ont.).  A sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman right fielder Logan Forman (Brantford, Ont.) scored Josephson on the 10th pitch of the at bat, while Hodder came around to score on an RBI single by senior pitcher Alexis Bonk (New Hudson, Mich. / South Lyon).  After a single by senior infielder Shelby Miller (Georgetown, Ont.), Bonk tied the game on a sacrifice fly by senior infielder Abby Favela (Riverside, Ill. / Riverside-Brookfield).

D'Youville scored once in the second, and added five runs the following inning for a 9-4 advantage heading to the bottom of the third.

The Saints extended their lead to 10-3 with a run in the top of the sixth.

Wayne State then exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth.  Junior center fielder Mady Ruczynski (Richmond, Mich. / Armada) started the hit parade with a single, while pinch-hitter Kiley Lewandowski (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Lincoln) followed with a single to right center.  Josephson then laced a two-run double to left center to make it 10-5.  After a ground out and a walk to Forman, Sophomore pitcher Sasha Buckberger (Oakville, Ont.) singled deep in the hole at short scoring Josephson.  Miller then smacked an RBI double to left center cutting the WSU deficit to three at 10-7.  Favela had an RBI single, and after a fly out, Lewandowski worked an eight pitch walk to load the bases.  Josephson drove in another two runs with a single up the middle.

The top of the seventh had some tense moments as DYC's leadoff hitter doubled down the left field line, but Miller made a running catch on a blooper over second base and doubled off the runner before a ground out ended the contest.

IN THE CIRCLE
Bonk allowed nine runs (fie earned) on 10 hits in 2.2 innings with three strikeouts to zero walks.  Buckberger notched her first win of the campaign by limiting the Saints to one earned run on two hits in 3.1 innings.  She struck out two and walked two.  Freshman hurler Sydney Long (Grand Blanc, Mich.) earned her first collegiate save by tossing a scoreless seventh inning.

D'Youville used all three pitchers on staff.  Lauren Booth surrendered three earned runs on five hits, while recording two outs.  Sarah Parzych pitched 4.2 innings allowing seven earned runs on eight hits with one strikeout to two walks.  Kendal Lehnen (1-5) suffered the loss allowing one earned run on two hits with a walk in 0.2 innings.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Josephson went 3-for-5 with two doubles, four RBI and two runs scored to pace the 15-hit attack.  Hodder, Miller, Favela, and Mia Hool (Allen Park, Mich.) each had two-hit affairs.

LEADING THE SAINTS
Halie Furkas, Laura Beck, Booth and Ava Miller each had two hits as part of D'Youville's 13-hit attack.

GAME 2 RECAP
In a complete opposite type game than earlier today, Wayne State was able to score once in the top of the seventh and had runners at second and third with one out, but was unable to score the equalizer.

The Mustangs scored once in the first on back-to-back one-out singles with the lead runner moving to third on a fly out.  SMSU was able to score the runner from third during a botched rundown of the other runner.

Southwest Minnesota State extended its lead to 2-0 in the third on a single, a sacrifice bunt, a bloop double down the right field line and a sacrifice fly.

WSU had the bases loaded with one out in the third but a 1-2-3 double play ended that threat.

Favela had a leadoff single in the fifth but was stranded at second.

Sophomore catcher Kennedy Cole (Hopkins, Mich. / Wayland Union) reached on an error to start the top of the seventh with Favela and Mia Hool following with back-to-back singles to plate Cole.  A sacrifice bunt by Ruczynski advanced the tying run to third with one out, but consecutive ground outs ended the contest.

IN THE CIRCLE
Long (4-3) allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits in six innings with three strikeouts to two walks.

Morgyn Otte (4-5) limited WSU to six hits and one unearned run in seven innings with one strikeout and two walks.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Favela and Mia Hool each had two hits, with Hool driving in WSU's lone run.

LEADING THE MUSTANGS
Riley Kramolisch and Abby Russell each had two hits.

UP NEXT
After an off day on Thursday, Wayne State will play twice on both Friday and Saturday to conclude its spring break trip.  The Warriors will face Indiana (Pa.) at 1:45 p.m., then Saint Michael's College at 4 p.m. on Friday.   The Saturday games will be against Saint Anselm College at 10 a.m. and Northern State at 12:30 p.m.