SALEM, W.Va. (March 24) - Senior catcher
Katie Chryssofos (Chapmanville, W.Va./Logan) delivered a walk-off two-run home run to help the Tigers earn a 4-3 win and a split with Ursuline at Hope Field on Thursday afternoon. Ursuline won the first game 2-1 to open the doubleheader.
The Salem International University softball team improves to 10-10 overall, 1-5 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play. Meanwhile, the Arrows move to 3-3 in league play, 13-9 overall.
Trailing 3-2, sophomore centerfielder
Tori Butler (Hedgesville, W.Va./Musselman) led the seventh inning of game two off with a single and remained at first after the next two batters were retired. Chryssofos stepped to the dish and smacked a pitch over the left field fence, her 30th career home run, to give the Tigers the win in walk-off fashion.
In addition to Chryssofos, sophomore
Hanna Crew (Canton, Ohio/Perry) chipped in two hits and a RBI, while freshman third baseman
Monika Garabedian (Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay) added an RBI base-hit.
Sophomore pitcher
Katie Holestin (Covington, Va./Allegheny) settled in after allowing three runs (two earned) in the first inning. She limited the Arrows to eight hits, struck out five and did not issue any walks to improve to 3-6 overall this season.
The Tigers were limited to just one hit over the final three innings of their 2-1 game one loss.
Salem International took the lead in the third inning on a Garabedian RBI single, but Crew was cut down at the plate trying to score to end the inning.
Ursuline tallied two runs in the fourth on a seeing-eye single down the left field line to take the lead. The Tigers best chance to even the score came in the fifth inning when freshman
Jordan Whitaker (Palmetto, Fla./Palmetto) tripled to lead the frame off. Unfortunately, she was doubled up at third base when a safety-squeeze bunt attempt was popped up to the pitcher, allowing for a double play.
Sophomore pitcher
Kayla Lynch (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) was charged with the loss. Lynch (7-4) yielded two runs (one earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts in the loss.
Garabedian led the team at the plate with two hits and a RBI.
The Tigers and Arrows return to Hope Field tomorrow, March 25 for another doubleheader, beginning at noon.
