SALISBURY, Md.  – A little weekend weather wouldn't stand in the way of the second-ranked Salisbury University softball team getting an early-season test against the fifth-ranked Rowan Profs on Friday afternoon at Margie Knight Sea Gull Softball Stadium. The Sea Gulls took down a stout Rowan program in the opener, 6-3, and followed up with a 3-0 shutout to cap the doubleheader.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE

• Rowan jumped out to a one-run lead in the top of the first on a single and a walk to put runners on, followed by a Liz McCaffery single up the middle to make it 1-0 Profs.
• Salisbury responded quickly as Abby Mace hit her second triple of the season before being driven in by Meghan Reed singling to left to tie the game in the bottom of the first.
• A Cat Thomas solo shot in the third gave Rowan another one-run advantage, and the Profs got one more across in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk to put the Sea Gulls down by two runs, 3-1.
• Taking advantage after loading the bases on two singles and a walk in the home fourth, Meghan Reed singled to bring home one and to cut the Profs lead to 3-2.
• The Sea Gulls broke out in the fifth inning with a four-spot. With the bases loaded thanks to a single, error, and walk, Sam Flowers picked up a patient two-out RBI with a walk to force in Emily Challender to tie the game.
• Up next came Reed, who knocked a line drive to left center for a bases-clearing double that put SU ahead 6-3.
• Rowan threatened to get it all back in the sixth, loading the bases with no out, but Madison Taylor struck out two batters in a row and got the third to fly out to escape trouble. Taylor then locked it down with a 1-2-3 seventh.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES – GAME ONE

• Meghan Reed turned in an excellent game from the three-hole, going 3-for-3 with a double and a career-high five RBIs. Reed had never before driven in more than two runs in one game.
• Abby Mace reached base in all four of her plate appearances from the leadoff slot, tripling and drawing three walks while scoring two runs along the way.
• The Sea Gulls took advantage of two errors by the Profs, plating four unearned runs with smart baserunning.
• Carrie Jacoby grabbed a single and a double during the game.
• Ellen Stockman, Lauren Meyers, and Jillian Dawson each had a single in the contest, with Dawson crossing the plate once.
• Isabella Purdy (2-0) earned her second win of the year with five innings of three-run, seven-hit ball. Purdy walked five and struck out three.
• Madison Taylor converted her second save of the year with a scoreless sixth and seventh. This is the second time Purdy and Taylor have provided a one-two punch in a game for a win and save.

ROWAN GAME NOTES – GAME ONE

• Cat Thomas led the Profs by going 2-for-3 with a solo home run.
• Liz McCaffery went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
• Grace Shukaitis provided stout numbers in the nine-hole, going 3-for-4 with a run scored.
• Rylee Lutz (1-1) took the complete-game loss by allowing six runs (two earned) on nine hits in six frames. 

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO

• Abby Mace got the Sea Gull offense in gear during the third inning, breaking a scoreless stalemate with a solo shot down the right field line.
• Camille Jones flashed heads-up baserunning to get Salisbury another run in the frame, stealing second and moving to third on Rowan miscues. Emily Stockman later singled Jones in for her first career run to make it 2-0.
• After a Carrie Jacoby groundout that pushed Stockman to third, Natalie Paoli followed up with an RBI single to make it 3-0 in a three-run third.
• Starter Nicole Ortega was smooth through her seven innings of work against one of the top teams in the country, stranding nine baserunnners in total for her third win of the season.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES – GAME TWO

• Abby Mace drew three walks for the second time in the day and improved on her Game 1 triple with a home run, the 47th of her career. Mace is now five dingers from tying Kelly Waskewicz '10's all-time Sea Gull record of 52.
• Meghan Reed continued her stretch as one of the top hitters in the country with three more slaps in the game, pushing her to a .772 batting average on the season.
• Natalie Paoli finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, while a reliable Lauren Meyers grabbed a single and a double.
• Emily Stockman, Sam Flowers, and Karlie Wolfe all notched a hit in the game.
• Nicole Ortega (3-0) showed a smooth hand with a six-hit shutout, using 113 pitches to blank the high-powered Profs.

ROWAN GAME NOTES – GAME TWO

• Paige McNair led the way with two hits for the Profs, one for a double.
• Grace Shukaitis, Liz McCaffery, and Bre Bryant each had a single.
• Emily McCutcheon (1-1) gave up all three of her runs in the third inning, pitching a complete six frames and surrendering 11 total hits in the loss.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls fly south for warmer weather in Raleigh, N.C. for the Grand Slam Tournament next Saturday and Sunday.
• Salisbury takes on Pfeiffer on Saturday at 12 p.m. and closes out the day against Piedmont at 5 p.m.
• Pacific Lutheran awaits the Sea Gulls on Sunday at 12 p.m., followed by Greensboro at 2:30 p.m. to finish out the weekend.

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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, featuring 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, 197 conference championships, and 45 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 follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.