Salem split a doubleheader with Point Park on Thursday at The Bridge in Bridgeport, dropping a marathon opener before bouncing back with a strong offensive showing in Game 2.
In the first game, Salem fell 6-5 in 11 innings in a back-and-forth contest that featured timely hits and late drama. Point Park struck first in the opening inning, but Salem quickly answered, tying the game at 1-1 behind an RBI single from Jacobi Gledhill. The game remained tight until the fifth inning when Point Park used a string of hits to plate three runs and take a 4-1 lead.
Salem chipped away, scoring in the sixth on an RBI single from Gina Alvaro, then surged in the seventh. Bella Ortiz delivered the highlight of the game with an inside-the-park home run, and Brooke Wise later scored to even things at 4-4.
Extra innings followed, where both teams traded runs in the 10th. Point Park ultimately secured the win in the 11th, capitalizing on a wild pitch to bring home the go-ahead run and holding Salem scoreless in the bottom half. Salem totaled 10 hits in the loss, with Wise leading the way with three, including a double and triple.
The Tigers responded in Game 2 with a 6-4 victory, using a big second inning and clutch hitting late to secure the split.
Point Park jumped out early with two runs in the first, but Salem answered emphatically in the bottom of the second. Taking advantage of defensive miscues, the Tigers scored four runs in the inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Alyssa Schultz and an RBI single from Brooke Wise to take a 4-2 lead.
After Point Park tied the game at 4-4 through four innings, Salem regained control in the fifth. With runners on base, Ali Shrieve came through with a two-run single to give Salem a 6-4 advantage.
From there, pitcher Brooke Wise settled in, limiting Point Park to just five hits across seven innings. Only one of the four runs allowed was earned, as Salem's defense worked through a few errors but made enough plays to preserve the lead.
Shrieve paced the offense with two hits and two RBIs, while Schultz also drove in two runs. Bella Ortiz added a pair of hits as Salem finished with nine total.
With the split, Salem moved to 9-12 on the season, showing resilience after a tough extra-inning loss and closing the day with a complete team win.
