SALEM, W.Va. (April 21) – The Salem International University softball team played to a split with Fairmont State, falling 3-1 in the opener, before walking off the Falcons 4-3 in the eighth inning of game two at Hope Field in non-conference play Thursday afternoon.
The Tigers improve to 22-22 overall this season. The win total is the most in a single-season in recent program history, exceeding the 21 wins posted by both the 1995 and 2012 Tiger teams. Meanwhile, the split moves Fairmont State to 18-24 overall this season.
Salem International rallied twice to walk off the Falcons in its 5-4 game two win.
After Fairmont State scored on a wild pitch to break the 4-4 tie in the top of the eighth inning, the Tigers went to work in the bottom of the frame. Salem International loaded the bases with no outs and freshman pinch-hitter
Kaleigh Decker (West Palm Beach, Fla./Palm Beach Central) drove in the game-tying run on a softly hit ball towards the first baseman. Two batters later freshman left fielder
Jordan Whitaker (Palmetto, Fla./Palmetto) took advantage of the infield playing in and chopped the ball at the shortstop, who could not field and throw home cleanly, giving the Tigers the win.
Whitaker, sophomore center fielder
Tori Butler (Hedgesville, W.Va./Musselman) and freshman shortstop
Sam Perez (Boca Raton, Fla./Olympic Heights) each finished with two hits apiece, with Butler scoring two runs in the win.
Senior right fielder
Katie Chryssofos (Chapmanville, W.Va./Logan), the reigning Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Week, hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to push her total to 18 this season and 41 for her career. She entered the season with 23 career home runs.
Sophomore pitcher
Kayla Lynch (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) improved to 13-10 this season after holding the Falcons to four runs (two earned) on five hits with three strikeouts (116 pitches) while pitching all seven innings.
Fairmont State plated a run in the second, third and fourth innings and held off a late rally to earn a 3-1 game one win.
Salem International trailed 3-0, but led the sixth inning off with consecutive singles by Whitaker and Chryssofos. After the next two batters were retired on strikeouts, a RBI-single by Butler put the Tigers on the board. Unfortunately, the Tigers stranded the tying runs on base to end the inning. Salem International was sat down in order in the seventh inning.
Sophomore pitcher
Katie Holestin (Covington, Va./Allegheny) was saddled with the loss. Holestin (8-12) allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with two strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
Chryssofos led the team with two hits, while Butler drove in the team's lone run.
The Tigers wore pink uniforms with pink accessories for breast cancer awareness. All money raised at the games will be donated to West Virginia University's Ruby Memorial Hospital and the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.
The Tigers face a crucial four-game series to close out G-MAC play this season when they head to Owensboro, Kentucky to take on Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday, April 23 at 12 p.m. (CST). The Tigers currently sit fifth in the league standings, with all three teams behind them (Ohio Valley, Ursuline & Alderson Broaddus) within striking distance of claiming one of the two remaining tournament berths. All four teams at the bottom of the G-MAC standings will face a team in the top four this weekend, leaving the final two bids up for grabs.
Stay tuned to SIUTigerPride.com and follow us on twitter @SIUTigers for updates all weekend
