SALISBURY, Md. – The fifth-ranked Salisbury University softball team punched its ticket into the regional championship round, powering past the 11th-ranked Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets, 7-1, on the second day of the Salisbury Regional within the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament on Friday afternoon at Margie Knight Sea Gull Softball Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Sea Gulls broke the ice in the top of the second inning. Natalie Paoli grooved a single through the right side and moved up on a sac bunt. Carrie Jacoby then lifted a flyball to deep right field, and Paoli came all the way around from second to score after a bad throw in from right, putting SU up 1-0.
• In the top of the fourth, Lauren Meyers doubled off the wall in right center to lead off, then Jacoby scraped the wall in left center with an RBI triple to score pinch-runner Camille Jones and double the Sea Gull lead.
• Later in the frame with one down and the bases loaded, Abby Mace hit a flyball to shallow left. Runner Sam Flowers held at third base, but Madison Faries airmailed the throw and Flowers came in to score and make it 3-0.
• The Yellow Jackets got one back in the home fourth on a solo home run by Kayla Davis, making it 3-1.
• SU took advantage of another RMC miscue in the fifth. Paoli singled with one out and the next two batters were plunked to load the bases. After a strikeout, Paoli trotted home on a passed ball to reinforce the Sea Gull margin to 4-1.
• In the seventh, Meyers reached on an error and Jacoby singled. Two batters later Emily Stockman delivered the knockout blow with a three-run homer to dead center, giving the game its final 7-1 margin.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Emily Stockman went yard for the fourth time this season, finishing 1-for-2 with the three-run homer and a pair of walks.
• Natalie Paoli finished 2-for-4 and scored two runs.
• Carrie Jacoby batted 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.
• Nicole Ortega (17-4) muscled her way through 5.2 strong innings, allowing one run on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts on 86 pitches.
• Sydney Adolfson earned her second save of the year by retiring the final four batters in order.
• The Sea Gulls extended their NCAA Tournament home winning streak to 22 games dating back to the 2014 season.

RANDOLPH-MACON GAME NOTES

• Kayla Davis belted a solo home run to account for the Yellow Jackets' only run of the game.
• Naomi Sadler doubled for RMC's only other extra-base hit.
• Rilee Baughan (13-5) was on the hook for the loss after allowing seven runs (three earned) on nine hits in 6.2 innings with four walks and four punchouts on 149 pitches.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls will play for the regional championship on Saturday at 11 a.m. against an opponent to be determined by the rest of Friday's games.
• A Salisbury win would clinch the regional title; a loss would force a winner-take-all game at 1:30 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, 199 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.