CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Wayne State University softball squad (13-2 overall) extended its winning streak to nine games after defeating Mercy College, 5-4, and Bemidji State, 4-0, in Florida on Sunday afternoon.
GAME ONE RECAPMercy took an early 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning on hits from Julia Gross and Joelle Salisbury. Amanda Gardiner, who got on base via a walk, and Gross scored off Salisbury's triple.
The Warriors were scoreless in the first three innings and struggled to spark an offense with only one hit from sophomore
Kylee Barrett (
Croswell,
Mich. /
Croswell-Lexington).
The Mavericks scored twice to take a 4-0 lead after a single from Melanie
Palmieri in the top of the fourth.
Senior Jade
McGarr (Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic) started the Warriors offense with a bunt single and scored on a double by freshman Hannah
McClounie (Essex, Ont. / St. Anne Catholic). Senior Ali
Lince (St. Clair Shores,
Mich. / Lakeview) singled to drive in
McClounie to decrease Mercy's lead to two (4-2) after the fourth frame.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, senior Shelby
Spano (Sterling Heights,
Mich. / Stevenson) hit a double to center field and freshman Jamie
MacNeil (Brampton, Ont. / St. Thomas Aquinas S.S.) came in as a pinch runner and later scored on another
Lince single.
The Warriors tied the game at 4-4 with senior
Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.) lacing a triple into right center and scoring off a single from junior
Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont. /
Galt, C.I.). Buchanan advanced to third after a
McGarr bunt and a
Spano single, then scored the winning run on a single from
McClounie.
IN THE CIRCLE Sophomore Haley
Hurd (Atwater, Ohio / Waterloo) started in the circle and allowed four runs on four hits in three innings. She struck out three batters.
Butler pitched the final four innings and earned the victory for the Warriors. She allowed one hit and struck out four batters to two walks.
Mercy's
McKally Cusumano surrendered five runs on 12 hits in six innings. She struck out three batters and walked one.
LEADING THE WARRIORS Barrett,
Lince,
McClounie,
McGarr and
Spano each had two hits.
Lince and
McClounie led the team with two RBI.
LEADING THE OPPOSITIONChelsea
Konyar led the Mavericks with two hits.
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GAME TWO RECAPWSU took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning against Bemidji State when Buchanan hit a single then scored on a
McGarr double to left center.
Buchanan hit a double into right center and scored on a
McGarr single in the third inning.
Wayne State added two insurance runs in the fourth as Barrett and
Lince hit back-to-back
home runs to seal the victory.
IN THE CIRCLE Butler improved to 9-1 and pitched the full seven innings. She gave up five hits and struck out five batters to one walk.
Bemidji State's Jenna
Massingill was credited with the loss after surrendering all four runs in three-plus innings, while striking out five. Rochelle
Koshalek came in to pitch in relief for the remaining four innings. She allowed six hits and struck out one batter.
LEADING THE WARRIORSBuchanan and
McGarr led the Warriors with three hits apiece, while Barrett had two hits.
LEADING THE OPPOSITIONAlexandra
Ripka led the Beavers with two hits.
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UP NEXT WSU will take on No. 15 Caldwell and Minnesota State-Moorhead on Monday at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. in Clermont, Fla.