VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A day after starting the
season with back-to-back wins the Salisbury University softball
team was dealt back-to-back losses on the second day of the
Virginia Wesleyan College Beach Blast tournament. SU dropped the
first game 3-0 to Rowan University as the Profs scored three runs
in the sixth inning to secure the win. The Sea Gulls (2-2) turned
around and dropped a tough non-conference game to Roanoke College,
3-2.
In the first game, Salisbury senior right-hander Stacy
Davis (1-1) had a no-hitter through the first five innings
before Rowan (1-2) went deep twice in the sixth. Rowan's Casey
Roselle homered to start the inning before Jenna DiDonato connected
on a two-run home run several batters later. The Sea Gulls
threatened in the top of the seventh inning when they put runners
at the corners with two outs. Davis, who represented the tying run,
came to the plate but lined out to end the game.
Davis struck out six Profs and walked one while she limited
Rowan to just three runs on three hits in six innings of work. The
Sea Gulls received hits from junior catcher Lauren
Brenneman and seniors Stacey Malarkey and
Meaghan O'Gara (double).
In the second game, SU had to play catch-up for the entire game
as Roanoke scored a run in the second, fourth and sixth innings.
The Sea Gulls got on the board in the fifth inning when O'Gara hit
a solo home run, her first home run since her freshman year and
third for her career, to cut the Maroons' lead in half, 2-1.
Roanoke answered back with a run in the top of the sixth inning
after a single, sacrifice and another single brought home the third
Maroon run. SU chipped away at the two-run deficit in the bottom
half when junior first baseman Ali Ritter went
deep with a solo home run.
SU received two hits from Ritter (2-for-3) and junior shortstop
Kelly Waskewicz (2-for-4) in the loss. Sophomore
pitcher Kelsey Mills (0-1) started for the Sea
Gulls in the circle and tossed five innings where she struck out
five batters and allowed only two runs. Freshman Erika
Brittingham came in to relieve Mills in the sixth.
Salisbury will look to rebound tomorrow (Sunday, March 8) at
Noon with a doubleheader against No. 23 Lynchburg College in Great
Bridge, Va.
