Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Malone University softball team dropped a pair of one-run games to visiting GLIAC opponent Wayne State University (MI) on Friday by the scores of 1-0 and 2-1.

With the tough losses to the recently #14 ranked Warriors (prior to this week), the Pioneers fell  to 10-22-1 overall and to 2-16 in GLIAC play while WSU, with the sweep, improved to 27-9 overall and to 7-5 in the conference.

In game one, after three scoreless innings were in the books, Warrior first baseman Amanda Burnard blasted a solo home run to straight-away centerfield in the top of the fourth inning to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.  The run proved to be the only one of the game and thus the gamewinner for WSU.

Both starting pitchers went the distance as the Warriors' Lynsday Butler earned the shutout win by allowing just two hits, walking only one and striking out nine batters over the seven innings.  Butler improved to 13-4 on the year.

Pioneer second baseman Desi Hengoed and rightfielder Erika Gerber each collected a hit for Malone.

Malone pitcher Jillian Coyle allowed just the one run, scattering nine hits over her seven innings on the mound.  She fanned three batters and did not allow a walk. With the loss, Coyle fell to 7-10 on the season.

In game two, another low-scoring contest was tallied as Malone outhit the Warriors seven to six but fell by the same one-run margin, this one by the 2-1 count.

The Pioneers got on the board first, and right away, as catcher Emily Isla, the second batter of the game, crushed a home run to left centerfield to put Malone up 1-0 after the top half of the inning.  Wayne State then got a game-tying run in the bottom half of the first frame as first baseman Emily Bryce doubled to right field to earn the RBI.

After a scoreless second inning, the Warriors pocketed their second and final run of the contest, which proved to be the gamewinner, in the third inning as Butler, playing rightfield in this contest, tagged a single up the middle for her game-clinching RBI.

Malone had its chances , though, over the final four innings as the Pioneers stranded eight runners on the bags but could not get the tying, or winning, run(s) home.

Isla went three-for-four in the contest including the solo home run and a double.

Stephanie Byrne, pitching all six innings for Malone, took the loss, allowing six hits in the game, and fell to 3-12 on the season.

Brianna Lee, with four and two-thirds innings of work for WSU, earned the win and improved to 13-2 on the year. She allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked one.  Butler, tossing the final two and a third innings, pocketed the save as she struck out six batters and walked none.

Malone will next compete in another home doubleheader tomorrow (Saturday) as the Pioneers hosted Saginaw Valley State University (MI), currently at 20-6 (12-3 GLIAC), in a DH set for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.