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Findlay, Ohio -- The second-seeded Wayne State University softball squad (38-9 overall) took an early 3-0 lead over seventh-seeded Ashland University (25-17 overall) before the Eagles rallied to knot the game at three setting up a walk-off win for the Warriors in the bottom of the seventh.

After WSU starting pitcher Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.) retired all three AU batters in the top of the first, the Warriors tallied three runs in the bottom of the frame.

Senior outfielder Logan White (Brantford, Ont.) had a one-out single and scored as Butler blasted a two-run home run to left field.  Junior Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams) and senior second baseman Julie Ingratta (Markham, Ont.) kept the hit parade going with back-to-back singles.  Following a lineout, senior Amanda Burnard plated Bryce with a single to right center.

AU hurler Brittany Flanigan (5-4) worked around a White single and walk to Butler in the second, before retiring 12 straight until a two-out walk to Burnard in the sixth.

The Eagles scored once in the fourth on an infield hit and back-to-back two-out singles, then tied the game in the fifth on a leadoff walk, a two-out double by Taylor Menhart followed by an RBI single from Sarah Alley.

With the score even at 3-3 in the top of the seventh, AU put runners at the second and third with one out on consecutive infield singles along with a Warrior throwing error.  Butler induced Alley into a groundout on a 2-0 offering, walked Kayla Prokopakis on a 3-2 pitch before getting Jen Moore on a groundout to first, as Burnard knocked down a screamer and tag the base with the ball while laying flat on her stomach.

In the bottom of the seventh, Wayne State pinch-hitter Briana Lee (Canton, Mich./Salem) had a leadoff single as her high chopper was snared behind second base by the Eagles second baseman (Cayla Seidler) but there was no throw on the play.  Freshman designated player Emily Cava (Oakville, Ont.) was hit by a 1-2 offering advancing right fielder Devin Hentschel (Wyoming, Mich. / Rogers), who re-entered after Lee's single, to second base.  Amber McDermott replaced Flanigan in the circle for Ashland and White laced a 1-2 pitch through the right side to load the bases.  Butler then hit the first pitch from McDermott hard to Seidler who was unable to make a play as Hentschel scored the winning run to extend WSU's winning streak to 13 games.

Butler struck out nine and walked two while allowing three earned runs on eight hits.  The Warriors equaled a season-high with three errors in the contest.

Flanigan surrendered four earned runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings with one strikeout and two walks.  McDermott did not retire either of the two batters she faced.

White went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Butler drove in three runs for the Warriors.

Wayne State will face Walsh in the winner's bracket semifinal game later today (originally slated for 4 pm, but may be delayed due the length of games earlier today).