EMORY, Va. – Emory & Henry completed a two-game sweep of Salem in softball action on Saturday, Feb. 22, which marked the first road trip of the season for the Spirits. The Wasps opened the day with a 3-2 victory in the opening game and closed with a five-inning win (9-1) in second contest.
GAME 1: Emory & Henry 3, Salem 2
The two teams were locked in a scoreless tie until the bottom of the third inning when Alex Braun kept the inning alive with a two-out double to right centerfield, scoring teammate Kendall Varner, who reached on a walk.
Salem answered with a run in the top of the fourth, which began when Miranda Barker singled to first to lead off the inning. Brianne Coleman pushed Barker to third with a single to center, before being caught stealing. Barker took advantage of a throwing error at short, tying the game at one-all with an unearned run.
The Spirits took their first lead of the afternoon in the fifth when Madison Burch reached on a hit by pitch. An errant throw by the pitcher allowed Brittany Morton to reach base, sliding Burch to third. With runners on the corner, Barker delivered a single through the right side of the infield for the 2-1 Salem lead.
Emory & Henry again took advantage of a two-out opportunity when Varner reached on a walk in the fifth. Alex Thomas followed with a home run to left field, giving the Wasps a 3-2 lead, they would not relinquish.
Cameron Derr (2-2) picked up her second win of the season for the Wasps, striking out seven hitters while surrendering four hits and two walks. Barker (0-2) suffered the setback for Salem after scattering eight hits and five walks over six innings of work. Barker fanned five Emory & Henry hitters over the course of the game.
GAME 2: Emory & Henry 9, Salem 1
The back-and-forth battle between the two teams continued into the second game with Salem (0-4) grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single to left centerfield by Amanda Dacunto. Dacunto drove in teammate Miranda Barker who got the first hit of the game for the Spirits, a double to left field.
Leanna Toler led off the Emory & Henry (4-2) half of the first with a single through the left side of the infield before stealing second. Allyson Steadman followed with a single up the middle, knotting the game at 1-1.
The Wasps took the lead in the third when Kendall Varner lifted a two-run home run over the left centerfield wall, plating Allyson Steadman in the process.
Emory & Henry tacked on five more runs in the fourth, the first coming on a single down the left field line by Nicole Cox. With two outs, Leanna Toler connected on a three-run home run to centerfield, extending the Wasps lead to 7-1. Varner brought home the final run of the inning with a double to center, plating Steadman from third.
The Wasps added one run in bottom of the fifth on a single up the middle by Cox to complete the sweep.
Salem returns to the field on Tuesday, Feb. 25, when the Spirits host Surry Community College at 3 p.m. The second game of the doubleheader is set for 5 p.m. For more information on Salem softball check out www.salemspirits.com.