Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Christine Bombardiere tossed a four-hitter and drove in the winning run in the top of the eighth as Salem University opened play at the Spring Games with an extra-inning 2-1 victory over California University of Pennsylvania in NCAA Division II softball Tuesday at Auburndale, Fla. Bombardiere kept California scoreless after the Vulcans scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Morgan Atkinson went 3-for-4 and came within a home run of hitting for the cycle.
 
The Tigers settled for a split on the day after falling to Southwest Minnesota State 15-1.
 
Salem (4-6) began the eighth inning with Katrya Traylor placed on second. Traylor advanced to third on a single by Sydney McPherson, who went to second on a groundout. Traylor tagged and scored on Bombardiere's sacrifice fly to center to give the Tigers their first lead of the game.
 
The Tigers denied California (3-9) a run in the bottom of the eighth when second baseman Adriana Sanchez fielded a grounder and got the lead runner caught in a rundown. Sanchez threw home to Atkinson, who threw to Traylor at third to get the lead runner out. After a single put two runners on base, Bombardiere secured the win on a fly out to left and a popup to Atkinson.
 
Salem got on the scoreboard in the top of the second as Atkinson tripled with one out. Bombardiere grounded to first and Atkinson scored when the throw to the plate was offline as the Tigers tied the game 1-1.
 
California used a single, an error and an rbi-groundout in the first to take a 1-0 lead. The Vulcans loaded the bases, but Bombardiere (2-2) got out of the jam with a strikeout.
 
In game two, Southwest Minnesota State (7-5) scored three runs in the first and broke the game open with an eight-run second inning. The Mustangs began play at the Spring Games Sunday and are a perfect 6-0.
 
Salem plays two games each of the next three days and wraps up play at the Spring Games with two more contests Monday. The Tigers face Post University Wednesday at 10:15 a.m., followed by a 12:30 p.m. match-up against Bentley University.