BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (April 18) – The Tigers combined for 34 hits in their 7-2 and 21-1 wins to sweep Bluefield State in non-conference play Monday afternoon.
The Salem International University softball team (21-21) manufactured all of its runs in the 7-2 win. The Tigers finished with 13 hits, with only two extra-base hits, but were aided by five errors by the Blues (3-21).
Sophomore catcher
Hanna Crew (Canton, Ohio/Perry) led the team at the plate with two hits, three RBI and a run scored, while freshman third baseman
Monika Garabedian (Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay) added three hits and one RBI. Sophomore second baseman
Cass Alexy (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) and senior first baseman
Jane Judware (St. Lawrence, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) each finished with multi-hit games with three and two hits, respectively.
Sophomore pitcher
Katie Holestin (Covington, Va./Allegheny) improved to 8-11 this season after limiting Bluefield State to two runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
Salem International exploded for 14 runs in the third inning of its 21-1 decimation of the Blues in a run-rule shortened second game.
The Tigers sent 18 batters to the plate in the inning and smacked 13 hits on their way to running away with game two.
Senior right fielder
Katie Chryssofos (Chapmanville, W.Va./Logan), who earlier Monday was
named the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Hitter of the Week, hit a three-run home run in the first inning and a grand slam in the second inning to help Salem International race out to a 7-0 lead. She finished the game 3-for-3, matched a career-best with eight RBI in the win and now has 17 home runs this season and 40 home runs for her career.
A total of 13 Tigers contributed hits, with Chryssofos and five others finishing with multiple hits. Freshman left fielder
Jordan Whitaker (Palmetto, Fla./Palmetto) tallied three hits and four runs scored, while Garabedian, Judware, sophomore center fielder
Tori Butler (Hedgesville, W.Va./Musselman) and senior
Brittany Diss (Byesville, Ohio/Meadowbrook) each had two hits, apiece. Judware and Diss each added two RBI, with Crew also driving in a pair.
Sophomore pitcher
Kayla Lynch (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) shut the door on Bluefield State from the circle. Lynch (12-10) only yielded one run on a home run and three hits overall with four strikeouts.
The Tigers will look to keep the bats rolling when they play another non-conference doubleheader on Thursday, April 21 against Fairmont State. Salem International will be hosting its "Pink Out" game, where all are invited to wear pink to promote breast cancer awareness. The first game is set for 2 p.m.
