MIDLAND, Mich.- Wayne State turned three double plays and scored four of their five runs in the last three innings to defeat Drury 5-2 on Saturday in Game 9 of the NCAA-II Midwest Regional tournament held in Midland, Michigan. The loss eliminated the Panthers from the postseason and ended their year with a 37-20 record. Wayne State improved to 33-20 and fought off elimination to advance to Sunday's round where they will play the winner of Saint Joseph's and Kentucky Wesleyan.
 
The Warriors struck for a run in the first inning but Drury took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs, and after a force play at the plate, Devan O'Bryan looped a single to right field that drove home two runs. Drury grounded into a double play to end the inning but the Panthers held the 2-1 advantage through the middle innings.
 
Wayne State's defense kept Drury off the board for the rest of the game, though. The Warriors turned double plays in the fourth, fifth and seventh and reliever Taylor Horn, who earned his ninth save of the season, got his team out of a jam with runners on second and third with one out in the sixth inning. Horn got a pop up and fly ball to centerfield to escape and leave his team trailing by just a run.
 
A sacrifice fly by Devin Rose tied the game in the seventh inning and Wayne State took the lead for good when the Panthers failed to close out the top of the eighth. With two outs and the bases empty, Jeremy Carroll drew a walk against reliever Alex Austin. Brad Baldwin then hit a ground ball to Drury shortstop Ryan Colombo who lost a race to the second base bag for a force play and leaving two runners on. Griffin Harms, who entered the game leading the team with 49 runs batted in, fought off a two-strike count and sent a ball to the left field fence driving in two and giving Wayne State a 4-2 lead.
 
The Warriors tacked on another run in the ninth while Drury could only muster a two-out single in the eighth for their lone hit after the sixth inning.
 
"We couldn't get that big hit when we needed it," said Drury head coach Scott Nasby. "We had runners on but couldn't capitalize. Even with one out, we weren't able to move guys around the bases. (Austin) Simms was tremendous and we had a chance to win. With a couple of swings and with a couple of balls that bounce a different way, we probably would have had a different result."
 
Simms got a no-decision for the Panthers as the junior pitched seven innings allowing only three hits and two runs with two walks and he matched a season high with nine strikeouts. He left the game in a 2-2 tie.
 
Addison Pawelek (4-3) got the win going 5.1 innings allowing four hits and two runs with three walks, one strikeout, and two hit batsmen. Alex Austin (5-3) took the loss for Drury.
 
KK Daniel went 3 for 4 at the plate for the Panthers while Nic Perkins reached base three times collecting two walks and he had Drury's only extra-base hit with a double in the sixth inning.
 
Harms finished the game 3 for 4 for Wayne State with three RBI's and a double while Devin Rose went 2 for 3 with two RBI's and double.
 
Drury's 37 wins this season were the third most in program history.
 
"We probably played more one and two-run games (this year) than any team we've ever had," said Nasby whose team had 26 of their 57 games decided by two runs or less. "We ended up with 37 wins and none of those were blow-out wins so this team had to fight for everything they got and I'm really proud of these guys."
 
Drury's NCAA-II tournament appearance was the fifth time in the team's 11-year history they had advanced to the national tournament.   
 

###