SALEM, W.Va. (April 25) – The Tigers rallied within one run in the final game of a four-game series against Trevecca Nazarene, but came up short and were swept Friday and Saturday afternoons at Hope Field.
The losses wrap up the Salem International University softball team's regular season with a 12-31 overall record and 6-14 mark in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play. The Tigers clinched the No. 6 seed in the upcoming conference tournament next week. Meanwhile, the Trojans wrap up the No. 1 seed in the G-MAC with a 20-1 league record, 33-8 overall.
In the final game of the series, Salem International trailed 5-1 entering the final inning. Freshman
Tori Butler (Hedgesville, W.Va./Musselman) smacked a solo home run with to cut the lead to three, but the Tigers were down to their final out. Freshman
Alyssa Discepola (Rio Grande, N.J./Middle Township) and junior
Katie Chryssofos each hit two-out singles to bring the tying run to the plate in freshman
Shannon Lynch (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside). Lynch delivered a clutch two-RBI double to left center field to slice the Trevecca lead to 5-4.
Despite redshirt-freshman
Kayla Lynch (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) reaching base on an error, the Trojans secured the final out to end the game and earn the four-game sweep.
Kayla Lynch (3-16) took the loss on the bump after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits. Chryssofos led the team at the plate with three hits and an RBI, while Butler added a pair of hits, including the home run, in the loss.
Trevecca exploded for 21 runs on 21 hits, including five home runs, in a 21-2 win over the Tigers in the first game on Saturday.
Freshman
Katie Holestin (Covington, Va./Allegheny) fell to 9-15 in the loss after being hit for nine runs on nine hits in 1.1 innings of work. Five different Tigers connected for hits in the loss, with junior
Kirstie Young (Hollywood, Fla./McArthur) and sophomore
Jordan Williams (Coconut Creek, Fla./Monarch) each driving in a run.
Trevecca dealt Salem International a pair of shutout losses on Friday afternoon, defeating the Tigers 8-0 and 6-0 to open the series.
Kayla Lynch was saddled with the loss in the 8-0 run-rule shortened loss. She allowed seven runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. Meanwhile, Holestin took the game two loss after giving up six runs (four earned) on 11 hits with four strikeouts in a complete game effort.
The Tigers were held to six hits combined on the first day in the two losses. Freshman
Hanna Crew (Canton, Ohio/Perry) led the team with two hits on the day.
The Tigers honored senior
Kayla Guta (Bentleyville, Pa./Bentworth) between game one and two on Friday for her contributions to the program. Guta narrowly missed hitting a home run to lead off game one and departed the first game on Saturday to attend commencement ceremonies and receive her degree.
The Tigers begin their pursuit of a G-MAC Tournament Championship on Thursday, April 30 in Xenia, Ohio. Stay tuned to SIUTigerPride.com for details on opponents and game times.
