Box Score

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St. Louis, Mo. -- The Wayne State University softball squad (44-10) had its 19-game winning streak come to an end Friday afternoon as sixth-ranked University of Missouri-St. Louis (49-6) recorded a 3-0 win in game one of the best two-of-three NCAA Midwest Super Regional.

All three runs from the host Tritons came off the bat of second baseman Katie Wood, who smacked a solo home run to left center in the second and added a two-run shot to right center in the bottom of the sixth.

The Warriors out-hit UMSL seven to five, but WSU went 1-for-16 with runners on base, including an 0-for-5 mark with runners in scoring position.

Wayne State had an early chance to go ahead but Lyndsay Butler's (Cambridge, Ont. / Centennial C.V.I.) drive down the right field line on an 0-2 offering in the top of the first just faded foul as it went off the top of the fence.

Junior catcher Emily Bryce (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams), who went 3-for-3 on the afternoon, led off the top of the second with a single to right field but was erased on a fielder's choice.  A two-out walk to Amanda Burnard (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth) put two runners on base but preceeded Hannah Perryman's fourth strikeout in the first eight batters.

Wood then laced a 2-1 pitch with one out over the fence for her 11th home run of the season in the bottom of the frame.

Sophomore shortstop Gabby Williams (South Lyon, Mich.) led off the third with a single down the right field line, and after a failed bunt attempt, advanced to second on a passed ball with one out.  Logan White (Brantford, Ont. / Johnson C.V.I.) tallied her 15th sacrifice bunt of the season to move Williams to third but a pop out ended the inning.

Butler (23-5) worked around a leadoff walk in the third by retiring the next three Tritons.

Bryce led off the fourth with a single and pinch-runner Catherine Rayos (Warren, Mich. / Mott) went to third on Jade McGarr's (Guelph, Ont. / St. James Catholic) one-out single up the middle.  After McGarr stole second, Perryman struck out the next two Warriors.

UMSL had a scoring chance in the fourth on a leadoff walk and a one-out single, but Butler induced a shallow fly out to left, and then Burnard slowed down a screamer that second baseman Julie Ingratta (Markham, Ont. / St. Thomas of Villanova College) gathered and tossed back to Burnard for the 3-4-3 final out of the frame.

White had a two-out double in the fifth but a foul out ended that threat.

UMSL had back-to-back hitters reach in the fifth with one out on a throwing error and a single, but Butler recorded a strikeout and ground out to keep the game 1-0.

Bryce had a leadoff single in the sixth but another failed bunt attempted was followed by a fielder's choice and a strikeout.

In the bottom of the sixth, a leadoff single preceeded Wood's second home run of the contest.  Butler settled down and retired the next three batters.

Pinch-hitter Ali Lince (St. Clair Shores, Mich. / Lakeview) led off the seventh with an infield single but the Warriors were unable to get the ball out of the infield on the next three hitters.

Perryman (29-5) struck out eight and walked one, while Butler had five strikeouts and two walks while allowing just her third and fourth home runs of the season.

Wayne State, who will be the home team, will have to win at noon Central on Saturday, to force the "if necessary" game at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.  Saturday's game(s) can be heard here on the internet as Charlie Kennedy and Jeff Weiss call the action, and live stats can be viewed here.