CEDARVILLE, Ohio (March 31) – The Tigers were dealt a four-game sweep by Cedarville University Monday and Tuesday afternoon in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) action.
The losses send the Salem International softball team to 4-14 overall and 0-6 in conference play. Meanwhile, the Yellow Jackets improve to 5-0 in the G-MAC and 14-12 overall this season.
The Tigers were dealt a 9-0 run-rule loss in five innings in the first game Monday afternoon. Cedarville plated three runs in the first inning, one in the second and five in the fourth to secure the win.
Salem International had runners in scoring position multiple times, but failed to push anyone across the plate. The Tigers drew six walks, including three by freshman
Hanna Crew (Canton, Ohio/Perry), and scattered three hits in the loss.
Redshirt-freshman
Kayla Lynch (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) took the loss in the first game. Lynch (1-6) allowed nine runs (five earned) on 12 hits with two strikeouts over 4.0 innings pitched.
After taking the lead in the third inning of game two, Cedarville tallied five-straight runs to earn a 5-1 win in game two on Monday evening.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning after sophomore
Jordan Williams (Coconut Creek, Fla./Monarch) doubled and scored on a RBI-single by senior
Kayla Guta (Bentleyville, Pa./Bentworth). Cedarville evened the game in the bottom of the third and scored four times in the fifth to take the lead.
Salem International threatened in the sixth inning with runners at first and second and one out, but the Yellow Jackets retired the next two Tigers to end the frame. Salem International went down in order in the seventh to give Cedarville the victory.
Crew led the Tigers at the dish with a pair of hits, while Guta, Willliams and freshman
Alyssa Discepola (Rio Grande, N.J./Middle Township) each chipped in a hit in the loss.
Freshman
Katie Holestin (Covington, Va./Allegheny) was charged with the loss in game two Friday after allowing five runs on eight hits with one strikeout and one walk issued in 6.0 innings in the circle.
Despite chipping into an eight-run deficit twice, the Tigers were knocked off 10-2 in five innings by Cedarville in the first game on Tuesday.
The Yellow Jackets raced out to an 8-0 lead after three innings, before a RBI-single by Crew drove in Discepola to make the score 8-1.
Cedarville reclaimed an eight-run lead with a run in the bottom half of the frame, but the Tigers prolonged the game with another run in the fifth. Williams delivered a RBI-double that scored junior
Kristie Young (Hollywood, Fla./McArthur) that trimmed the host's advantage to 9-2. Unfortunately, Cedarville wrapped up the run-rule win in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Crew led the team once again at the plate with a pair of hits and an RBI, while Williams and Young each added a double in the loss.
Holstin took the loss on the bump for the Tigers. She allowed five runs on six hits in 1.2 innings pitched.
Cedarville's bats did not let up in the final game of the series, as the Yellow Jackets completed the sweep with a 10-0 win in five innings over Salem International.
Cedarville scored runs in each inning of the final contest, which did not count towards G-MAC standings, only overall standings. The Tigers advanced runners to scoring position in multiple innings, but scattered three hits in the loss.
Holstin (3-8) took the loss in the series finale after allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings pitched.
Crew, who was held without a hit in the final contest of the series, went 5-for-7 (.714) at the plate over the four games, including three walks in the first game. She raised her season batting average by 57 points and now ranks third on the team with a .324 average.
The Tigers are back on the field tomorrow, Wednesday, April 1 when they head to Buckhannon, W.Va. to take on defending Mountain East Conference Champion West Virginia Wesleyan for a doubleheader. The first-pitch of game one is scheduled for 4 p.m. and fans can follow live stats
here.
