NUTTER FORT, West Virginia - With the regular season winding down and a potential postseason spot on the line the Tiger's matchup yesterday against the Seton Hill Griffins had heavy implications for both squads.

For Salem, it was the first mid-week game the team had played all season, and after their four-game series against Frostburg State last weekend Salem's pitching arms were spent. This left skipper Kassidy Gaines to piece together a bullpen game. Andrew Leginze was given the start for the Tigers. Leginze was extremely effective and maximized the opportunity given to him, allowing just one run and six hits in five innings of work to keep Salem in contention for the win. While Leginze held down the fort the Tigers offense struggled to find their rhythm, managing just three base runners during the five-inning stretch. After Leginze, Salem looked to Sam Schmitt who typically starts for the Tigers, but this time he was tasked with a relief role. Schmitt delivered a clean sixth before Richie Preston was brought in to handle the seventh. Preston's first pitch got taken over the fence to make it 2-0 Griffins. After the long ball, Preston was able to lock in and get two outs before the Tigers sent out Conor Thiele to complete the frame. Another one of Salem's starters came in to pitch the eighth inning, Jaryd Lund. Lund was tasked with holding down a good Seton Hill lineup in a tough spot and seemed to struggle right away. Lund found himself in a bases-loaded scenario and Seton Hill capitalized with a grand slam to break the ball game open and make it 6-0 with six outs remaining for the Tigers. In the bottom of the eighth Salem's lineup finally hit pay dirt with a 2 RBI double into the right-center gap from Mackenzie Wainwright that scored Alex Harper and Jose Lojo. The Tigers brought out closer, Jhayden Raineri to try and keep Salem in a spot where they could win with a big bottom of the ninth, and Raineri delivered, facing four batters and picking up two strikeouts before ending the top half of the inning with zero runs allowed. Salem's lineup could not overcome the four-run deficit this late in the game and went on to drop this one in regulation 6-2.

The Tigers hit the road this weekend for a four-game series against Wheeling University in Wheeling, WV. Game times are available on the team schedule and will be posted on all social media.