SALISBURY, Md. – The second-ranked Salisbury University softball team racked up two more top-25 wins, taking down the 11th-ranked Virginia Wesleyan Marlins with a 16-2 five-inning drubbing in game one and working a late rally for a 6-5 win in game two on Saturday afternoon at Margie Knight Sea Gull Softball Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
GAME ONE

• Abby Mace took no time at all to get the Sea Gulls on the board, knocking a leadoff home run to left field in the bottom of the first inning.
• Salisbury took advantage of a bases loaded situation in the second as Jillian Dawson drew a walk for the Sea Gulls' second run of the game. With Mace reaching first on an error, Sam Flowers and Emily Stockman both found home plate to double the Sea Gulls runs.
• Once again in the second the Sea Gulls loaded the bases after Emily Challender was hit by a pitch. With the opportunity at hand, Natalie Paoli rocketed a shot to left center for a grand slam that put Salisbury up 8-0. After batting around in the second, Carrie Jacoby reached on another Marlin error, putting Lauren Meyers at home to make it 9-0.
• In the bottom of the third, the Sea Gulls kept with the theme by loading the bases, and Meghan Reed drew a walk for another run. Staying hot at the plate, Paoli notched a single to score Challender and Mace. Pinch hitting for Jacoby, Emma Coldsnow hit a loud fly ball to left for a sacrifice to put Reed across the plate from third base and give the Sea Gulls a 13-0 lead.
• The Marlins worked a little two-out magic in the top of the fourth, stringing together a walk and two singles to juice the bases. VWU catcher Olivia Knight slapped another single to drive in a run and cut Salisbury's lead to 13-1.
• With two runners on in the bottom of the frame, Mace doubled to center, scoring Stockman from second base. Then continuing her clutch pinch hit moments, Karlie Wolfe hit a two-run double that drove in Mace and a pinch-running Lexie Delcollo to make it 16-1.
• With last call in the fifth, Marlin infielder Laci Campbell hit a solo shot to left but that wouldn't be enough as soon after a groundout to third ended the game early at 16-2.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Nicole Ortega (8-1) started in the circle for the Sea Gulls and turned in three innings with no hits or runs against, striking out one and walking two in her eighth victory of the season
• Shortstop Natalie Paoli had one of the greatest games of her collegiate career, driving in six runs on two hits thanks to her grand slam.
• There was no stopping Abby Mace with her fifth multi-hit game of the season, including a leadoff home run, a double and a bunt single – just a triple away from a cycle.
• Karlie Wolfe continued to be a weapon off the bench, driving in two runs after taking over for Emily Challender, who scored twice herself.
• The Sea Gulls sent 14 different batters to the plate in the win.

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN GAME NOTES

• Lauren Bible (7-3) was tagged with the loss for the Marlins, pitching 1.1 innings with seven runs against, although only three were earned.
• Laci Campbell homered for the Marlins, her first of the season.
• Karley Beltran drew two walks and notched a single from the three-hole.

GAME TWO

• In a repeat of game one, Abby Mace showed why she's the most dangerous leadoff hitter in Division III, going yard again to left to kick things off.
• Working with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Emily Challender singled to second, driving in Emily Stockman who bunted to reach first in her at-bat. With a hit down the right field line, Natalie Paoli grabbed two more rib-eyes for the Sea Gulls when Challender and Mace crossed the plate on her double to make it 4-0.
• After a one-out double in the top of the third, Virginia Wesleyan was able to find paydirt when Laci Campbell tripled in a run to cut Salisbury's lead to 4-1.
• Bats were mostly silent until the top of the sixth, as the Marlins tied the game up on a pinch-hit three-run homer to left field by Jenna Laird. Later in the frame, an easy single to right by Julia Piotrowski with a runner on second gave the Marlins their first lead, 5-4.
• Rallying in the bottom of the sixth, Mace swiped home on a delayed steal by Challender to tie the game at 5-5. Then, laying down a sacrifice bunt with Challender on third, Paoli drove in the go-ahead run to put Salsibury back up 6-5.
• After relieving Isabella Purdy in the top of the sixth to tame the Marlins, Nicole Ortega pitched a clean seventh inning to preserve the win.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• With her second leadoff homer of the day, Abby Mace now is just one dinger away from tying the program home run record of 52 set by Kelly Waskewicz '10. She also scored three runs in the win while walking twice.
• Batting behind Mace, Emily Challender picked up two hits and two runs. Her season batting average now sits at .633 in 30 at-bats this season.
• Natalie Paoli and Jillian Dawson both had a multi-hit games. Paoli also chipped in with a double, stolen base, and three RBIs, including the game-winner in the sixth.
• Sam Flowers walked twice for the Sea Gulls.
• Nicole Ortega (9-1) won her second game of the day, giving up one run over 1.2 final innings.
• Drawing the start, Isabella Purdy pitched 5.1 innings with four runs against, striking out five Marlin batters.

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN GAME NOTES

• Sarah Prosser led the Marlins with two hits, one for a double, and scored once.
• Working left field and second base, Laci Campbell had a triple and a walk.
• In a pinch-hitting appearance, Jenna Laird drove in three runs with a homer.
• Savannah Laird (2-2) was tagged with the loss, pitching six innings with six runs against, striking out five and walking six. She put forth a 156-pitch effort.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls head to Arlington, Va. on Friday, Apr. 5, for a doubleheader against Marymount University.
• Salisbury met up with the Saints in 2023, taking two games by scores of 8-0 and 10-1.
• Game one of the doubleheader is set for 3 p.m., with game two to follow at approximately 5 p.m.

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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.