CHARLESTON, WV - The Salem International University Tigers dropped a pair of games to the University of Charleston on Thursday afternoon (Mar. 23) at the UC Softball Field. The Golden Eagles erased a 2-1 deficit in game one with a four-run fifth inning to capture an 8-2 win and scored early in game two en route to a 14-0 victory against the Tigers.

The Tigers travel to Greensburg, Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon (Mar. 25) for a doubleheader against Seton Hill University. The twin bill is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

Junior Katie Holestin got the start for SIU in game one against the Golden Eagles. Holestin held Charleston scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning. 

A bases-loaded walk to Ansley Warner would give the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead. SIU responded quickly, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning.

Freshman Morgan Atkinson worked a one-out walk for the Tigers and would score one batter later as fellow freshman Sydney McPherson laced a double to center field. Sophomore Veneise Mendez pinch ran for McPherson and would advance to third on a single to left field by senior Jordan Williams. Sophomore Sam Perez gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead with her RBI groundout to the shortstop, plating Mendez from third base.

Charleston knotted the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double. Warner then made it 5-2 UC with her bases-clearing triple to right field. The Golden Eagles added three more runs to their total in the bottom of the sixth. Haleigh Christopher accounted for two of those runs with her home run.

Jessie Rowe worked a clean 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning to preserve the 8-2 victory for the Golden Eagles. Rowe allowed two runs on three hits in the complete-game effort for UC. She fanned two batters and walked one.

Holestin suffered the loss for the Tigers, surrendering eight runs on ten hits in 5.1 innings of work. The Golden Eagles were patient at the plate, working seven walks against Holestin. Freshman Rosey Romick recorded a pair of outs for SIU and allowed one hit.

Game two would start a little different for the Tigers as Charleston plated a pair of runs against Romick in the bottom of the first inning. 

Christopher made it 2-0 UC with her double into left center. Golden Eagles starter Alli Burdette retired the side in-order in the top of the second frame.

The Golden Eagles would score six runs in each of the second and third innings to increase their lead to 14-0.

SIU got a pair of runners on base in the top of the fourth inning as junior Ariana Garcia reached base on an error by the center fielder. McPherson followed with a two-out walk but both would be stranded as Atkinson hit a fly ball to left field.

The last chance for the Tigers to rally would come in the top of the fifth inning. A rally wouldn't be in the hand dealt to the Tigers as Burdette worked a 1-2-3 frame to seal the victory for UC.

Romick took the loss for SIU in the game, allowing eight runs on eight hits in two innings of work. Sophomore Kaleigh Decker allowed three runs on six hits in one inning of relief for the Tigers, while Williams tossed a clean bottom of the fourth, walking one batter and fanning two.

Burdette recorded eight strikeouts and two walks in the shutout for Charleston, holding the Tigers hitless in the process. The Golden Eagles recorded 11 hits in the game two victory.