Vienna, WV - It was the Ohio Valley University Fighting Scots who controlled the early portion of game two against Salem International University on Sunday afternoon (Apr. 23) but the Tigers rallied to score 12 runs over the final three innings and record a 12-6 victory against OVU. SIU completed the twin bill sweep of the Fighting Scots after picking-up a 5-3 in the first game.

Junior Hanna Crew gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth inning with her single back up the middle to score senior Vanessa Jimenez. The hit capped a four-run fifth inning for the Tigers, who would lead for the rest of the contest.

Freshman Morgan Atkinson finished the game 2-for-5 at the plate with four runs batted in and two runs scored, while Jimenez went 3-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs and one run scored. Freshman Rosey Romick also recorded a three-hit day for the Tigers, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

OVU opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning against SIU junior starter Katie Holestin. Fighting Scots starter Melinda Koppinger delivered her only hit of the game with a run-scoring single to center field to make it 1-0.

A two-run home run from the Fighting Scots upped their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Both teams would be held off of the scoreboard in the third and fourth innings as the Tigers looked for a second-consecutive rally against OVU.

Atkinson started the SIU come-back in the top of the fifth inning with a double into the right center field gap that plated senior Jordan Williams and sophomore Sam Perez. Jimenez then knotted the score at 3-3 with her single to center field that allowed Atkinson to advance to third and score on an error by the catcher.

Leading 4-3, the Tigers increased their lead to two runs as Perez reached base on a fielder's choice to third which allowed Romick to score and junior Tori Butler to advance to third base. Jimenez would come through again for the Tigers in the frame as she sent a 2-2 offering down the left field line to score Butler and Perez and make it 7-3.

The Fighting Scots would make things interesting in the bottom-half of the inning as they loaded the bases up with no outs against Holestin and the Tigers. The quick start to the inning prompted the Tigers to make a pitching change and bring Romick into the game.

OVU plated two runs against Romick with a single to right field that would plate one run and an error by the Tigers that allowed a second run to score. With the score trimmed to just two runs, 7-5, the Tigers would avoid any further damage as they got a force-out at home with the bases-loaded and a strikeout to end the frame and strand the potential tying run in scoring position.

SIU would be up to the task of answering the OVU offense with a five-run top of the seventh inning. With the bases-loaded, Butler got the scoring started with a fielder's choice to third base. OVU looked to get the force-out at home but a nice slide from junior Ariana Garcia beat the throw to the plate. Atkinson then gave the Tigers a five-run cushion (10-5) with a two-RBI single to right center. Jimenez rounded-out the scoring by reaching on an error by the second baseman which saw a pair of runs score to give SIU a 12-5 lead.

OVU wouldn't go down without a fight as it tallied four hits in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Tigers. SIU came within an out of sealing the victory before the Fighting Scots would mount a mini rally. Three consecutive singles would lead to a run scoring for OVU and a bases-loaded situation. With the score trimmed to 12-6, Romick would induce a fly ball to center field that would be caught by Butler to end the game.

Holestin recorded the win for the Tigers after allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings of work. Romick tallied her second save of the season after limiting the Fighting Scots to one run on five hits over the final two innings of the game.

Gabrielle Bennett and Anna Gamboa each recorded four-hit games for OVU, while Bennett was responsible for plating three of the Fighting Scots' five runs in the contest.