MARSHALL, Texas – The top-seeded Salisbury University softball team forced a winner-take-all final game of bracket play with a 7-2 win over the fifth-seeded Berry Vikings on Sunday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After being held off the hit column for the first three innings of the game, Salisbury finally broke through the hit column in a big way in the fourth inning. Abby Mace led off the frame with a walk before Lindsey Windsor launched a two-run home run over the big wall in the center field to open the scoring and put Salisbury ahead 2-0.

That's a two run home run for the @SUSeaGulls! #d3sb | #WhyD3 pic.twitter.com/g7pa1y1wUw

— NCAA Division III (@NCAADIII) June 4, 2023

• Berry tied up the ball game in the bottom half of the fourth. Leadoff singles and a walk loaded the bases. Windsor nearly got out of the inning with a strike out and a line out before Katie Parker nearly cleared the bases with a single to the right-center field gap. However, Mace, Natalie Paoli and Emily Stockman teamed up to get Katie White out at the plate to keep the game knotted at two.
• It looked like Salisbury regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Stockman led off the inning with a double to left-center field followed by a single to center by Sam Flowers. Lauren Meyers sent a fly ball to shallow center field that looked to score Emily Challender from third but an appeal play at third and an out on Flowers advancing on the play allowed Berry to escape the inning unscathed.
• Salisbury took the lead and added plenty of insurance with a five-run sixth inning. Madi Lemon led off the frame with a perfect bunt in front of the plate. Windsor then struck out but reached on a dropped third strike. Carrie Jacoby put down another bunt that allowed Lemon to score from third. Paoli followed with a two-run single to right that scored Jacoby and Windsor. Two batters later, Stockman sent a two-run double to right to put Salisbury ahead 7-2.
• Savannah Sheats came into the game in the final two innings and retired the side in order in the seventh.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Lindsey Windsor hit her ninth home run of the season with the two-run dinger in the fourth. She also scored twice.
• Emily Stockman hit two doubles and drove in two runs with her double in the sixth.
• Natalie Paoli also plated two runs with a single in the sixth.
• Windsor (W) earned her 18th win of the season. She allowed six hits, two runs and two walks but struck out three batters.
• Savannah Sheats entered the final two innings of the game and collected a strikeout.

BERRY GAME NOTES

• Katie White and Sydney Maroney each led the Berry offense with two hits.
• Katie Parker drove in Berry's two runs in the fourth inning with a single.
• Casey Holloway (L) gave up four of the five runs in the sixth inning.

UP NEXT

• Salisbury and Berry will play the winner-take-all game at around 5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET on Sunday following the conclusion of the Trine/Coe matchup.
• The winner advances to the NCAA Softball Championship Series.

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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 and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. 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 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 196 conference championships and 44 Academic All-Americans.
 
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.