ELKINS, W.Va. (April 12) - Led by a pair of home runs by junior catcher Katie Chryssofos (Chapmanville, W.Va./Logan), the Tigers earned a 4-2 win over Davis and Elkins College Saturday afternoon after falling 5-2 in the opener in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) action at Joni Smith Field. Davis & Elkins won both games played on Sunday by scores of 9-0 and 5-1 to wrap up the series.

The split improves the Salem International University softball team to 1-10 in the G-MAC and 5-21 overall. Meanwhile, the split sends the Senators to 14-13 overall and 8-2 in conference play.

After redshirt-freshman Kayla Lynch (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) and freshman Cass Alexy (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) reached base with one out, Chryssofos got the Tigers on the board early in game two by sending a 3-1 pitch over the center field wall to give Salem International a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Davis & Elkins scored in the top of the second and the top of the fourth to narrow the gap to 3-2, but an outstanding relay in the top of the sixth kept Salem International on top. With a runner on first and two outs, Senator left fielder Chelsie Stover hit a line drive to the fence in left field. Junior Jane Judware (North Lawrence, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) threw to the cut-off Alexy at shortstop, who delivered a perfect relay throw to Chryssofos at the plate. Chryssofos applied the tag just before the runner hit the plate to preserve the Tiger lead.

Chryssofos added an insurance marker in the bottom of the inning with a two-out solo home run that was sent well over the center field wall to give Salem International a 4-2 lead. Freshman pitcher Katie Holestin (Covington, Va./Allegheny) allowed a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but made a great play on a ball hit hard back at her to end the game.

Holestin (4-11) earned the win after limiting the Senators to two runs (one earned) on eight hits, while finishing with four strikeouts and one walk in a complete game effort. Holstin faced multiple jams, but ended up stranding six base runners in the win.

Chryssofos accounted for virtually all of the Tigers offense with two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored. Despite earning the win, the Senators out-hit Salem International eight to three.

Davis & Elkins scored four-unanswered runs to open game one and held on to send the Tigers to a 5-2 loss.

The Senators looked to be in control of the game with two runs in the second and third innings. Salem International got on the scoreboard in the sixth when Chryssofos sent a fly ball to deep left field that was misplayed by the Davis & Elkins outfielder. Lynch and freshman Tori Butler both scored on the play to trim the Senator lead to 4-2.

Davis & Elkins added to its lead in the seventh inning and retired the Tigers in order in the bottom half of the inning to end the game.

Lynch (1-10) took the loss after she allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts.

On Sunday, the Senators opened the doubleheader with a 9-0 run-rule shortened win over the Tigers.
 
Davis & Elkins homered in the second inning and tallied four-run frames in the third and fourth to earn the win. Meanwhile, a single by Guta in the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs was the only offense mustered by Salem International and broke up a potential no-hitter by Senator pitcher Allie Lapallo.
 
Holestin (4-12) took the loss after she was tagged for nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits with four strikeouts.
 
Davis & Elkins wrapped up the series with a 5-1 non-conference win over the Tigers.
 
The Senators led 3-0 before a ground ball hit by freshman Hanna Crew (Canton, Ohio/Perry) sneaked through the legs of the D&E second baseman to allow Alexy to score and cut the lead to two runs.
 
A two-run single by the Senators in the fifth inning extended the Tiger deficit to 5-1 and put the game out of reach.
 
Lynch (1-11) took the loss on the bump after allowing five runs on 12 hits with four strikeouts over 7.0 innings pitched.
 
Salem International has a busy week ahead, beginning with a doubleheader at Bluefield State on Monday and a pair of twinbills with Ohio Valley on Tuesday and Wednesday. The first-pitch of the doubleheader at Bluefield State in set for 2 p.m.