WEST LIBERTY, WV - The Salem International University softball team dropped a pair of games to West Liberty University at the WLU Softball Complex on Thursday afternoon (Mar. 30). The Hilltoppers came-away with a pair of 9-1 victories, both in five innings against SIU.

The Tigers will be back in action on Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. as they head to Cedarville, Ohio for a pair of games against Cedarville University. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for March 16 in Salem but was postponed due to weather.

West Liberty scored the first four runs of game one, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning and adding two more in the third inning. SIU had an early opportunity to get onto the scoreboard by loading the bases in the top of the second inning. Junior Ariana Garcia and freshman Morgan Atkinson delivered back-to-back singles to get things going for the Tigers. A two-out walk would load the bases but be followed by a groundout to first base to end the frame.

Trailing 4-0 entering the top of the fourth inning, SIU scored its lone run of the game as sophomore Kaleigh Decker laced a single to center field. An error by the Hilltoppers on the play allowed Atkinson to score from third base. West Liberty worked out of a jam in the frame, stranding a pair of SIU runners on base.

West Liberty scored five-times in the bottom of the fifth inning to increase its lead to 9-1 and end the contest. The Hilltoppers tallied five of their 10 eventual hits in the inning.

Junior Kayla Lynch suffered the loss for the Tigers, allowing nine runs (six earned) on 10 hits through 4.1 innings of work. Atkinson finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, while Decker, Garcia, and junior Tori Butler each tallied a hit for SIU.

Game two started in favor of SIU as the Tigers took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Freshman Sydney McPherson plated senior Vanessa Jimenez with a single to left field after Jimenez worked a walk in the frame.

The momentum would quickly shift back to the Hilltoppers, who scored three runs in the bottom of the inning against SIU junior Katie Holestin. The three-run inning was highlighted by a two-run home run to give West Liberty a 3-1 lead. A groundout and a steal of home upped the Hilltoppers' lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the third inning.

Freshman Rosey Romick took over for Holestin to start the bottom of the fourth inning for the Tigers. The Hilltoppers would score two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings en route to a 9-1 victory. West Liberty ended the game with a single down the left field line that would plate two runs.

Junior Ashley Williams recorded the other hit for the Tigers, who also recorded three walks in the game. Holestin was handed with the loss for the Tigers after allowing five runs on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Romick allowed four runs on six hits in 1.2 innings of work.