SALEM, W.Va. (April 21) – The Tigers slugged their way to a 8-1 win over Ohio Valley University in game one, before losing 3-1 in the nightcap Tuesday afternoon at a windy Hope Field.
 
The win improves the Salem International University softball team's Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) record to 6-12, 12-25 overall. Meanwhile, the Fighting Scots move to 7-36 overall, 2-16 in league play.
 
The Tigers got on the board early when freshman Tori Butler (Hedgesville, W.Va./Musselman) laid down a bunt to advance senior Kayla Guta (Bentleyville, Pa./Bentworth). An errant throw to first allowed Guta to score and put Butler on second with zero outs. Butler came around to score later in the inning on another error to extend the Salem International lead to 2-0.
 
Junior Katie Chryssofos (Chapmanville, W.Va./Logan), the reigning G-MAC Hitter of the Week, tacked on three more with her league leading 12th home run of the season in the third inning to give the Tigers a 5-0 lead.
 
Ohio Valley cut into the lead with a run in the fourth inning, but Salem International plated a pair of runs with the help of a wild pitch and a RBI single by freshman Cass Alexy (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) to increase the lead to 7-1 after four innings complete.
 
Freshman Hanna Crew (Canton, Ohio/Perry) tacked on an exclamation point with a solo home run in the sixth, and classmate Katie Holestin (Covington, Va./Allegheny) struck out the side in the seventh to give the Tigers a 8-1 win in the final conference game between the two teams this season.
 
Holestin improved to 9-12 this season after she held the Fighting Scots to one run on five hits with zero walks. The Virginia native also tied a season-high with six strikeouts in the win.
 
Freshman Alyssa Discepola (Rio Grande, N.J./Middle Township) went a perfect 4-for-4 at the dish with two runs scored to lead the Tigers, while Butler added two hits and three runs scored.


 
Ohio Valley held off the Tigers in each of the final two innings to earn a 3-1 non-conference win in the final game of the day.
 
Salem International trailed 2-0 when Butler sliced the lead in half with a RBI single that scored redshirt-freshman Kayla Lynch (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside). The Fighting Scots rebuilt their lead with a run in the sixth and held off a pair of rallies in both the sixth and seventh innings. The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in both frames, but failed to push anyone across.
 
Lynch (3-13) was saddled with the loss after she allowed three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
 
Guta and Butler led the Tigers at the plate, with each finishing with two hits in the loss.
 
Salem International returns to action this Thursday, April 23 when they host Fairmont State in non-conference play. The doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.