SALEM, W. Va. (April 15, 2018) — With the Salem University Tigers riding a wave of momentum, Morgan Atkinson stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning. 

As Atkinson pressed, fighting off several pitches, she received some instruction from Head Coach Steve Potts. Play your game. Don't try and be anyone else. 

With two on and a 1-2 count, Atkinson took a low pitch opposite field, sending a shot down the right field line, finding the gap between the first baseman and right fielder for a two-RBI shot to give Salem a 7-4 lead in the second game of Salem's double header against the Ohio Valley University Fighting Scots. 

In winning both games, every Tiger did their job and Salem played its brand of softball for a victorious home debut. 

Game 1 — Salem 9, Ohio Valley 3

Salem didn't play perfectly, committing four errors, but dug in and were quick to mitigate any harm quickly—stranding seven Ohio Valley players on base—while inflicting the most damage when given the opportunity.

Ohio Valley scored first when a leadoff walk advanced on a stolen base and groundout, scoring on a RBI single from Alexandria Villazon. 

The Tigers responded with a four-run bottom of the first. The Fighting Scots went to their bullpen early, replacing starting pitcher Kelsey Goots with Alyssa Gates after Goots walked the first two hitters and hit Ariana Garcia to load the bases. 

Gates induced a pop up to second base and a fly out to center field. With two outs, senior outfield Tori Butler showed great composure, hitting a two-RBI single to put the Tigers on the scoreboard. Starting pitcher Christine Bombardiere followed that with a two-RBI single to right field, scoring Butler and Garcia. 

Consecutive errors cost the Tigers a run in the top of the second, cutting Salem's lead to 4-2.

Butler responded with another big hit off a smooth swing in the third inning, sending a shot to the left field fence for a RBI triple scoring Hanna Crew and later scoring on a wild pitch. Casey Moritz added another run with a RBI-single down the right field line to score Abbey Callo. 

After the Tigers' defense opened up the fourth inning with a 6-4-3 double play, Bombardiere hit the next batter and Salem committed another error to put two on with two outs. After Melinda Koppinger hit a RBI single to left field, Potts went to the bullpen, turning to Rosey Romick who induced a groundout to quickly end the inning. 

Bombardiere added another run in the fourth and sixth innings to lead the Tigers' offense; finishing 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. She also picked up her third win of the season, pitching 3.2 innings and giving up three runs (only one earned) on four hits. 

Butler was 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Crew finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. 

Defensively, Olivia Davoli was a wall at shortstop with multiple two-out innings and the game-clinching out on a pop fly .

Game 2 — Salem 8, Ohio Valley 7

With the threat of rain looming over the game, the Tigers and Fighting Scots exchanged big innings with Salem ultimately making the big plays to get the 8-7 victory. 

Romick got the start in the pitcher's circle for Salem but struggled early, giving up three runs on two hits in the first inning. 

Leadoff hitter Casey Moritzstarted the game with a single for Salem, advancing to third on a throwing error from the right fielder. Atkinson then scored Moritz, grounding out to shortstop. 

Butler added the a second run in the inning for Salem with a RBI double to left field. 

After Romick gave up back-to-back singles to start the second inning, Potts turned to Bombardiere, who induced two groundouts to Davoli and a strikeout to get out of the inning unscathed. 

The first big play of the game came from Moritz, tracking down a fly ball in center field and gunning a perfect throw to home to beat the tagging runner for an inning-ending double play. 

Crew tied the game in Salem's at-bat, hitting a RBI single to score Atkinson. 

Bombardiere got in trouble in the top of the sixth inning, giving up a leadoff homer run to Gallagher to give Ohio Valley the lead back. After giving up a single up the middle, Davoli made two big plays at shortstop, getting the lead runner out at second on two consecutive grounders. 

After Bombardiere loaded the bases by walking and hitting the next two batters, Davoli ended the inning with a 6-5 groundout. 

After Bombardiere tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, Kaleigh Decker had a huge hit with a RBI single up the middle; coming in cold off the bench to pinch hit for Callo. 

An energized Salem scored three more runs in the inning, getting a two-RBI single from Atkinson down the right field line, followed by Ariana Garcia's RBI single through the left side of the infield to give Salem an 8-4 lead. 

Bombardiere got in trouble again in the seventh inning, giving up three runs on three hits, but battled back to close the game with a strikeout to pick up her fourth win of the season. 

Atkinson finished 2-for-4 with there RBIs and two runs scored while Crew was 3-for-4 with a RBI and run scored. Garcia finished 2-for-4 with a RBI, Moritz hit 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, and Butler was 2-for-3 with a double, RBI, and run scored. Davoli assisted on eight outs with no errors at short stop. 

With the victories, Salem improves to 9-21 on the season and are 2-0 at home. The Tigers' home games against Glenville State on Monday, April 16 have been cancelled tue to weather. The next scheduled game is April 17 against Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio. The Cedarville Yellow Jackets are 23-11.