SALEM, VA - The Salem International University softball team made the four and a half hour trip to Salem, Virginia on Friday (March 11) for a pair of games in the Salem, Va. Invitational. The Tigers dropped their first game of the day (13-2) against Shippensburg and would rally for a (6-5) victory in nine innings against Ursuline College.

Junior Hanna Crew was responsible for the Tigers' winning run with her single into right center, scoring senior Vanessa Jimenez from third base. Crew also recorded one of the Tigers' run-scoring hits in the fourth inning against the Raiders. Crew and junior Ariana Garcia each finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with one run batted in against Shippensburg. Garcia, senior Jordan Williams, and freshman Naomi Smout all had two-hit games for SIU in the win against Ursuline.

The Raiders would score a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning against the Tigers and junior starter Katie Holestin. Shippensburg upped its lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the second inning.

Shippensburg doubled its lead to 10-0 in the bottom of the third inning on the strength of four run-scoring singles. Raiders starter Chloe Collins showed time and time again that she was in full control, getting the Tigers to strand six runners on base.

The Tigers cracked the scoreboard against the Raiders in the top of the fourth inning as Crew drove a ball into the right center gap to score junior Tori Butler. Garcia followed with a bunt single that would score Crew.

In the nightcap, the Tigers found the scoreboard first against the Arrows. Garcia pulled a ball into left field that would score Butler to make it 1-0 SIU. The Arrows responded in the top of the second inning by hitting a three-run home run against SIU junior Kayla Lynch.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom portion of the inning, Butler joined the hitting parade for SIU by scoring Williams to cut the deficit to 3-2. Crew then gave the Tigers their second-lead of the game with a two-RBI single that trickled into left field.

The game would turn into a pitcher's duel until the top of the seventh inning. With Lynch still in the circle for the Tigers, Ursuline would score the tying run with a single into right field.

Extra innings saw both teams score in the eighth inning as Ursuline gained a 5-4 lead with a single to right field. With a runner on third base, sophomore Kaleigh Decker gave the Tigers new life by scoring Atkinson after reaching on a throwing error.

With the score knotted 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Crew had one more run-scoring hit in her bat, taking the first pitch of the at-bat and going the opposite-way to right center to complete the comeback (6-5).

Lynch improved to 4-5 on the season with her complete-game effort, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits with seven walks and six strikeouts.