DETROIT -- The 16th-ranked Wayne State University softball team (36-8 overall, 12-3 GLIAC) recorded a 7-0 victory over 11th-ranked Saginaw Valley State University (22-6 overall, 9-4 GLIAC) in the first game of a conference doubleheader Sunday at the WSU Softball Complex.

WSU senior thrower Casey Hanes (Richmond, Va. / Douglas Freeman) and Cardinal freshman Alexa Gehrls were locked in a pitchers duel through three-and-a-half innings until the Warriors tallied two runs in the bottom of the fourth. 

SVSU had two on with one out in the first but Hanes recorded back-to-back outs to end the threat.  In the top of the third, the Cardinals loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks sandwiched around a Lauren Memmer single.  But a force out at home and a pop out ended that frame.

In the fourth after the first two batters were retired, Lauren Histed (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Utica) worked a 3-2 walk.  Alison Allen (Redford, Mich. / Farmington Hills Mercy) followed with a single to center moving Histed to third, where she scored when the ball was misplayed in the outfield.  Jaci Banton (Richmond Hill, Ont. / Cardinal Carter) ripped a single off the third baseman's glove with Allen scoring on a wild throw to the plate to make it 2-0.

After Hanes struck out the side in the fifth, Becca Ryan (Westland, Mich. / Dearborn Divine Child) walked on four pitches prompting an SVSU pitching change.  Following a failed bunt attempt, Brittany Omelanchuk (Brooklin, Ont. / Wilson S.S.) singled down the right field line moving Ryan to third.  Steph Foreman (Cambridge, Ont. / Preston) worked the count to 2-0 before dropping a single into right center plating Ryan.  Rachel Spaccarotelli (Ray, Mich. / Romeo) walked on five pitches to load the bases.  An RBI ground out by Histed made it 4-0, and Allen blasted a double to right center scoring pinch-runner Makelle Barski (Trenton, Mich.) and Foreman.

WSU's final run came on an Omelanchuk sacrifice fly which scored Rebecca Stanley (Waterloo, Ont. / Waterloo C.I.), who had led off the inning with a single.

Hanes improved to 29-3 by striking out eight and allowing four hits to earn her 11th shutout of the campaign.

Gehrls (1-2) allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with five walks and two strikeouts.  Kari Bowlby allowed four runs on four hits in one inning, while Amanda Astor tossed the final inning.

Allen went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while both Ryan and Foreman had two hits apiece.