Box Score Missouri-St. Louis 9 Wayne State 7

            Missouri-St. Louis hit a two-run, two-out walk off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand the Wayne State softball team a heart-breaking 9-7 loss in the season opener Friday afternoon at the Alvy Early Memorial Tournament in Bentonville, Arkansas.
            Wayne State got off to a quick start, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning to chase the UMSL starting pitcher.  Natalie Arbizu had an RBI double in the inning for the Wildcats followed by run-scoring singles from Riley Holmberg and Paiton Tornberg.
            The Tritons scored one run in the first and two in the second to cut the Wildcat lead to 4-3.
            The Wildcats plated two runs in the fourth on a two-run double by Mary Krystofiak, scoring Holmberg and Arbizu, to give Wayne State a 6-3 lead.
            Missouri-St. Louis produced four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-6 lead.
            WSC evened the score at 7-7 in the top of the fifth on a two-out rally when Krystofiak singled with pinch-runner Abby Husing crossing the plate on a double by pinch-hitter Hayley Murphy.
            The score remained 7-7 until the bottom of the seventh when the Tritons got a walk-off, two run homer to post the 9-7 victory.
            UMSL had one more hit in the game than WSC 11-10.  Holmberg paced WSC at the plate going 3 for 4 with three singles.  Krystofiak followed going 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI while Arbizu and Murphy also doubled.  Kortney Buresh, Jenna Etmans and Tornberg each singled.
            Hadley Chvatal worked the first 3 1/3 innings for WSC in the circle and was charged with seven runs (four earned) on six hits with five walks and four strikeouts.  Freshman Grace Lucka fired the remaining 3 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
            Wayne State will face Drury (Mo.) later Friday afternoon in Bentonville, Arkansas.