BRIDGEPORT, West Virginia - After a tough day for the Tigers against Charleston, the Salem softball team played host to the other NCAA Division II program from the greater Charleston area, namely the West Virginia State Yellow Jackets. Both contests featured two very evenly matched teams between the Tigers and Yellow Jackets, and the doubleheader ended in a split with West Virginia State nabbing Game 1 and Salem taking Game 2. Each contest played out as follows:

West Virginia State 4, Salem 2

For Game 1, neither team found many offensive chances early on, and the lone run of the game up to the 6th inning was scored on a wild pitch. Trailing 1-0, Salem launched their comeback rally in the 6th, when Meladie LaRance knocked a single that Jazmyn Moetelui and Ricki Garay took advantage of on the base paths to score a pair of runs. The Tigers held that thin lead heading into the 7th, but the Yellow Jackets answered with 2 more runs of their own. The Tigers made one last push in the bottom of the 7th, but were unable to get the job done. In the pitcher's circle, Salem got a decent showing from Brooke Wise and Kayla Williams, who combined to allow just Yellow Jacket hits. 

Salem 3, West Virginia State 2

In Game 2, Salem fell behind initially, but answered with a rally in the bottom of the 3rd inning. First, a West Virginia State error allowed Sierra Chapa to reach first and Alyvia Pittman to score to get the Tigers on the board. Then, a Kaydee Anderson single brought in Chapa to knot things up at 2-2. That gridlock held into the bottom of the 6th when a groundout from Jazmyn Moetului allowed Marissa Jeffery to score from third to make it 3-2 favoring the Tigers. Pitcher Andrea Gallegoes then went into the top of the 7th with the thinnest of leads to protect, and she did just that. The Tigers shut the door by allowing just a lone hit in the top of the 7th to earn the 3-2 win and the split in the afternoon. The aforementioned Andrea Gallegos went the whole way for the Tiger's from the pitcher's circle. She allowed just 5 hits and struck out a pair of West Virginia State batters in the process. 

Salem should have some momentum as they head into their next contest. The Tigers continue their homestand on Wednesday, April 17th at Noon against the Notre Dame College Falcons at The Bridge Sports Complex in Bridgeport, West Virginia.