SALEM, Va. – Southeastern Oklahoma State pitcher Mindy McElroy (28-11) scattered five hits in twirling a complete-game shutout on Saturday in Salem, Va., as the Savage Storm picked up the program’s initial NCAA Division II Softball Championship triumph by eliminating Wayne State (MI), 2-0.

Second baseman Jessica Simmons led SEOSU’s seven-hit offensive output with a 2-for-3 performance and a triple while scoring both runs. Third baseman Lacie Cook added a 1-for-2 effort with an RBI to back McElroy’s gem.

FINAL STATS | Southeastern Oklahoma Post Press Conf. | Wayne State (MI) Post Press Conf.

Despite doing all she could at the plate by going 2-for-3 with a double, Lyndsay Butler finished the season at 25-7 overall, allowing two earned runs while striking out 10 over six frames.

“Well it’s really exciting nationally when you beat them,” Southeastern Oklahoma State head coach Ron Faubion said. “As you know coach Gary Bryce is a Hall of Famer, and it’s not because he doesn’t know what he’s doing. It’s a great win for us when you can beat a team as well prepared and well coached as Wayne State. I have the utmost respect for Gary, and she (Lyndsay Butler) is a great pitcher. We knew we had to swing at everything. Our idea for today was that we were going to run and swing and do things our way. If we got beat, fine. At least we would go home knowing we did everything we could do.”

After Wayne State (MI) left a runner stranded in the top of the first, Southeastern Oklahoma State immediately put something up on the scoreboard in the bottom half. Simmons started things off for the Savage Storm with a triple to right center, soon scoring to make it 1-0 on a sacrifice bunt from Cook. A stolen base and a base knock to left center off the bat of shortstop Haley Strawn advanced a pair in scoring position with two retired as SEOSU bid for more. Catcher Courtney Riddle hit a hot shot to first that was corralled by Amanda Burnard, however, as the Warriors held the damage to a minimum.

Wayne State’s Butler and Southeastern Oklahoma’s McElroy kept things under relative control from the circle during the second, third and fourth innings as both hurlers refused to allow the opposition to string multiple hits together.

Warrior second baseman Julie Ingratta christened the top of the fifth with a single on the infield, moving to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt from third baseman Jade McGarr. Unfortunately for Wayne State (MI) a pair of groundouts left a runner stranded at third.

The speedster Simmons struck again for the Savage Storm in the bottom of the fifth. After reaching via a one-out single out in front of the plate, she quickly swiped second and third, eventually racing home on a WSU miscue while trying to prevent the theft at third. With two retired center fielder center fielder Sydney Kramer singled through the right side. Right fielder Laramine Beal stepped into the batter’s box and ripped a shot to left center for what appeared to be a run-scoring double. Unfortunately for SEOSU, the umpire ruled that Kramer left her base early, taking another tally off the board and resulting in the final out of the frame.

With one final opportunity to get back in the match-up during the top of the seventh, Butler tried to help her own cause by blasting a leadoff double off the top of the wall in left center. Unfortunately for the Warriors, three consecutive groundouts wrapped up the Savage Storm’s 2-0 victory.