ST. LOUIS, MO. – Senior Katie Wood provided the game's only run scored with a third inning solo homer to help the No. 1 ranked and top-seeded University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team to a 1-0 victory over No. 8 seed Wayne State (Mich.) on Friday night in opening round action of the 2015 NCAA Midwest Regional.
 
The Tritons improve to 45-6 and advance to face No. 17 ranked and No. 5 seed Southern Indiana tomorrow at 11 a.m., while Wayne State (42-19) will face No. 4 seed Grand Valley State in an elimination game to follow at 1:30 p.m. The Screaming Eagles defeated GVSU, 4-2, in today's other first round game.
 
Junior Hannah Perryman tossed the complete game three-hit shutout behind 10 strikeouts. Two of the Warriors hits came in the top of the seventh on back-to-back singles with two outs, but the guests left the tying run on second base and the go ahead run on first.
 
UMSL finished with four hits.
 
The game was originally slated for a 2:30 p.m. start, but persistent rain throughout the day pushed back the start time. There was also a nearly 40 minute rain delay after a half inning of play.
 
Wood's homer was her 16^th of the year and the team's 102^nd, tying for fourth most in an NCAA DII single season.