Courtesy of Wayne State Media Relations
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The 29th-ranked Wayne State University softball squad (40-14) rallied from a 4-1 deficit with a six-run sixth inning to stun No. 25-ranked Missouri-St. Louis (42-16 overall) 7-5 in the if necessary game of the NCAA Midwest Regional #1 on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both starters in the "if necessary" contest had complete game performances in the opener.
The Warriors took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as Lyndsay Butler (Cambridge, Ont.) led off with a single, was sacrificed to second by Allie Buchanan (Cambridge, Ont.) and moved to third on a wild pitch. Following a walk to Brooke Turkalj (St. Jacobs, Ont.), Kristen Lucas (Newmarket, Ont.) had an RBI fielder's choice.
The Tritons answered with a pair of runs in the top of the second as Alex Stupek and Sara Kern had back-to-back singles, before a sacrifice bunt by Rachel Matthies. Ryan Logan laced a 3-1 offering up the middle for a two-run single.
Kern homered on the first pitch of the fourth inning to extend UMSL's advantage to 3-1. WSU had two runners on base in the fourth with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts ended that threat.
Megan Guitar (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) entered the circle to start the fifth and struck out the side on 13 pitches.
In the top of the sixth, Kern walked with one out and Logan had a two-out RBI double to right center giving the Tritons a 4-1 lead.
The first six Wayne State hitters in the bottom of the sixth had hits to knot the game at 4-4. Buchanan hit a 1-1 pitch through the right side, before Turkalj doubled down the right field line. Lucas then singled off the first baseman's glove to plate Buchanan. Guitar followed with an RBI single through the left side to pull the Warriors within 4-3. Hannah McClounie (Essex, Ont.) had a bunt single to load the bases. Kyleee Barrett (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) was credited with an RBI single to right center as her blooper landed between three UMSL defenders. After the next two WSU hitters were retired, Butler worked an 0-2 count into a 2-2 situation. Butler then drilled the next offering over the right fielder's head for a three-run triple and a 7-4 Wayne State advantage.
In the seventh, UMSL loaded the bases on a single by Erin Walker, a hit by pitch of Morgan Hill and a single to center by Serena Olson off Butler, who re-entered the circle after the first two Tritons reached. A WSU miscue kept the bases loaded with a 7-5 lead and no outs. Kern then hit a 1-2 pitch back to Butler who threw home for the force out with the throw to first just late. However, Matthies hit the very next pitch back to Butler and this time the 1-2-3 double play with Turkalj throwing to Guitar to beat the runner.
IN THE CIRCLE
Butler (Cambridge, Ont.) earned the save. She allowed three earned runs on five hits in five innings of work. She walked two and did not record a strikeout.
Guitar notched her 14th win of the season, by limiting the Tritons to two earned runs on two hits in her two innings in the circle. She struck out four and walked one.
Carly Kingery (26-8) yielded seven earned runs on nine hits in six innings. She struck out five and walked two.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
Butler was 2-for-4 with three RBI as the first seven WSU batters each scored once. Turkalj went 1-for-1 with a double and two walks, while Guitar was 2-for-3.
LEADING THE TRITONS
Logan was 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Kern was also 2-for-3 and scored three times.
UP NEXT
Wayne State will face Southern Indiana in a best two-out-three game series for the NCAA Midwest Super Regional title and a spot in the College World Series.