Kissimmee, Fla. -- The fourth-ranked Wayne State University softball team (16-4 overall) was unable to hold leads of 3-1 and 6-3, and fell
8-6 to in-region foe Wisconsin-Parkside (6-3 overall) Tuesday afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games.
After the Rangers scored an unearned run in the top of the first, the Warriors tallied three runs in the bottom of the second.
Brittany Omelanchuk () walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Following a pop out,
Stephanie LeClair () singled up the middle advancing pinch-runner
Kassie Snyder () to third.
Steph Foreman () had an RBI single through the left side. With two outs,
Lauren Histed () had a two-run double to left center scoring LeClair and Foreman.
UWP senior Amy Horn hit a two-run home run in the top of the third to knot the game at three.
WSU regained the lead, 4-3, in the bottom of the frame as
Jaci Banton () had a leadoff single and moved to second on a walk to
Rebecca Stanley (). Banton beat the throw to third on Omelanchuk's grounder to load the bases with no outs.
Becca Ryan () plated Banton on a sacrifice fly, but the next two Warrior hitters were retired.
Wayne State increased its lead with two runs in the fourth. Sophomore
Kristina Susalla () had a leadoff single and pinch-runner
Makelle Barski () advanced to second on a walk to Histed.
Alison Allen () singled to left field scoring Barski while Histed came across home plate on a sacrifice fly by Stanley.
The Rangers tied the game at six with three runs in the top of the fifth. A walk and two singles loaded the bases. After a force out at home, an RBI ground out made it 6-4. A walk re-loaded the bases and Alyssa Wilson had a two-run single to left to tie the game.
The Warriors had two batters reach, however with two outs, in the fifth but could not score the go-ahead run.
Wisconsin-Parkside scored the eventual winning run in the top of the sixth. Stephanie Luska had a leadoff double and moved to third on a passed ball. After a hit by pitch and a steal of second, Nicki Eckstrom worked a walk to load the bases. Lisa Casey was hit by a pitch forcing in a run.
Sam Cain () then relieved
Casey Hanes () in the circle for WSU and retired the next three batters on two infield pop ups and a ground out.
The Rangers added an unearned run in the seventh to complete the scoring.
Wayne State outhit UWP 8-7 with Foreman being the lone Warrior with two hits.
Hanes falls to 12-2 after allowing seven runs (six earned) in five innings with five strikeouts and four walks. Cain allowed one unearned run on one hit in two innings.
Kallie Walczak started for UWP and allowed six earned runs on six hits in four innings. Jill Vondrak earned the win in relief by limiting WSU to two hits and a walk in the final three innings.