SALISBURY, Md. – A home win streak that lasted 71 games, 1,114 days or three years, 19 days came to an end on Saturday as the top-ranked Salisbury University softball team split two games with the Lynchburg Hornets and the Swarthmore Garnet. A seventh-inning game-winning home run downed the Sea Gulls in the opener against the Hornets, 3-2. The Sea Gulls bounced back with an 8-3 win over the Garnet in the weekend finale.
HOW IT HAPPENED – LYNCHBURG
- Salisbury scored first in the bottom of the third inning. Jillian Dawson hit a triple to right center followed by an RBI single by Natalie Paoli.
- Lynchburg took the lead in the top of the fifth. A Lexi Powell triple led to an Alex DiNardo RBI to tie the game at one. Two batters later, Sarah Watts snuck a single through the left side of the infield to give the Hornets a 2-1 lead.
- Back-to-back errors benefitted the Sea Gulls in the bottom of the sixth. Lauren Meyers reached on a throwing error by the shortstop. A batter later, Emma Coldsnow's groundball snuck through the glove of the Lynchburg second baseman to allow Lexie Delcollo to score and tie the game at two.
- Watts broke the tie in the top of the seventh inning with a home run to left center, which eventually proved to be the game-winner.
SALISBURY GAME NOTES VS. LYNCHBURG
HOW IT HAPPENED – SWARTHMORE
- Swarthmore tallied the first run of the game in the opening inning with an Olivia McClammy RBI double.
- An error allowed Salisbury to tie the game at one. On a line drive out, an errant throw into the outfield allowed Natalie Paoli to score from second.
- An Emily Bertrand home run in the top of the second put Swarthmore back up one, 2-1.
- Salisbury took the 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second with a two-run single by Lindsey Windsor that scored Madi Lemon and Sam Flowers.
- The Garnet tied the game at three in the fourth inning with a Cassidy Cheong RBI groundout.
- More errors allowed Salisbury to take the 6-3 lead in the fourth. Maddison Lednum drove in two on an RBI single up the middle that got past the center fielder, which allowed Lednum to advance to third. Lednum later scored on a double steal.
- Salisbury added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings with an RBI fielder's choice by Windsor that scored Flowers in the fifth and an RBI single by Emily Stockman that scored Abby Mace.
SALISBURY GAME NOTES VS. SWARTHMORE
- Natalie Paoli and Lindsey Windsor paced the offense at the top of the lineup with two hits apiece. Windsor drove in three in the game while Paoli scored twice.
- Maddison Lednum drove in two with her single in the fourth.
- Sam Flowers came around to score twice.
- Madison Taylor (W, 3-0) scattered five hits and allowed three runs (two earned) to collect the win.
UP NEXT
- The 17-1 Sea Gulls head south to Virginia for a trio of doubleheaders during Spring Break.
- The trip begins with a doubleheader against the Roanoke Maroons on Tuesday, March 21.
- The games begin at 2 p.m. in Salem, Va.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football, Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse and the Metropolitan Swimming and Diving Conference for men's and women's swimming. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, and dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on-and-off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 22 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 188 conference championships and 43 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.
