Opponent:
Salem at Carolina U. | March 4 | Clemmons, N.C. | Wilson Park-Field #2 | 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
SALEM SET FOR THIRD DOUBLEHEADER OF SEASON AT BLIXT
The Spirits will head to nearby Clemmons, N.C., to face Carolina University for the second time this season on Tuesday afternoon. The doubleheader will mark the second time since the 2022 campaign that the two Winston-Salem-based programs will face each other twice in the same season.
AVERETT TAKES DOUBLEHEADER CLASH WITH SPIRITS
Salem's Maleah Tate capped off a pair of setbacks to Averett with four hits to lead the way for the Spirits, which fell in a non-conference doubleheader at Blixt Field by scores of 13-0 and 11-1 in succession.
Tate was the lone hitter in the Salem lineup with multiple hits in the first game, finishing with three singles in the setback. The speedy sophomore, who hit from the leadoff position, was responsible for half of Salem's hits in the contest. She followed that up with a single in the second game to cap off her afternoon with four hits in six total at bats.
Tate also made her impact felt on the game in the field with a double play from left field, where she threw out Olivia Jones after catching a fly out by Angela Rodriguez.
Tate led the top third of Salem order in the second game, which accounted for three of the five hits in the contest.
GAME 1 | Averett 13, Salem 0 (5 innings)
W: Taylor Sullivan (1-4) / L: Cassandra Miller (1-5)
Salem Leaders: Maleah Tate (3-3)
SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Maleah Tate, who hit leadoff for the Spirits, closed 3-for-3 from the plate. Tate was also instrumental on a double play from left field in the first inning. Tate caught the Averett runner off first and doubled up the Cougars.
-Salem also received a base hit from Shelby LaPoint (1-3) and Karma Morrison (1-2).
-First-year infielder Carmen Duffey had the first hit of her collegiate career, which came on a flare to left in the fifth inning.
GAME 2 | Averett 11, Salem 1 (5 innings)
W: Kaci Stephenson (2-3) / L: Isabella Morales (2-4)
Salem Leaders: Madison Long (1-2, RBI, double), Maleah Tate (1-3), Shelby LaPoint (1-3), Madeline Brown (1-2), Savanah Atkins (1-2)
SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Karma Morrison drew a walk in the second and two batters later, Madison Long sent a double to left centerfield, plating Morrison for the Salem run.
-The top third of the Salem lineup accounted for three of the five hits in the contest for the Spirits.
-Salem had one multi-hit inning in the second game, which came in the fifth. Teammates Maleah Tate and Shelby LaPoint both connected on hits for the Spirits.
HOW THE SPIRITS ENTER THE SECOND MONTH OF THE SEASON
-Salem has had at least five hits in a game on 10 occasions this season, including a single-game season-high 15 hits in the second game of the season against Carolina University.
-The Spirits have accrued an extra-base hit in nine of 12 games in 2024. The exceptions came against Livingstone (Game 2-Feb. 19), Guilford (Game 2-Feb. 28) and Averett (Game 1-March 3).
-The Spirits have blasted six home runs in 12 contests, including two in the second game of the series with St. Andrews on February 22nd. The last time that the Spirits had at least two home runs in a single game was on February 19, 2020 when they launched three against Guilford.
-While the offense is connecting on extra-base hits, the pitching staff has recorded at least four strikeouts in five games this season. The best single-game performance for the pitching staff came when Kat Price and Isabella Morales combined for 8 K's in the second game of the series with St. Andrews.
-The top slugger for Salem through the first 12 games, among those with at least 10 plate appearances, is Maleah Tate. Tate is 16-of-38 (.421 batting average) on the season with five walks and three RBI to her credit. Tate has four more hits than her first year at Salem, where she finished 12-of-56 at the plate.
-Tate is also halfway to the single-season stolen bases mark (22) in program history, swiping 11 bases entering Tuesday afternoon. The program leader for single-season stolen bases is Karson Chapman, who swiped 22 in 2013.
-First-year hurler Isabella Morales has made her presence felt in the circle, notching 26 K's in 29 innings pitched. Morales, who has twice been named USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week, has issued just nine walks and is boasting a 6.28 ERA.
LOOKING TO CLAIM A DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP
Salem has the opportunity on Tuesday to claim its first doubleheader sweep since taking down Livingstone on March 20, 2023 by scores of 13-5 and 15-2. That victory over the Blue Bears came at Blixt Field for head coach Courtney Tucker, which coincidentally marked the first wins of her coaching career.
The last time that Salem went on the road to earn a doubleheader sweep was on March 7, 2020, when the Spirits took down Randolph in Lynchburg, Va., by scores of 3-1 and 7-2 in succession. The 2020 campaign also marked the last time that Salem claimed consecutive road victories, which reached five games.
The five-game winning streak began with a 4-1 win at Huntingdon on February 29th and continued with 4-1 and 5-4 triumphs over Agnes Scott on March 1st. Six days later, the Spirits earned their fourth and fifth road victories against Randolph on March 7th. Salem would win nine straight during that span, claiming home wins against both Ferrum (March 8) and FDU-Florham (March 11).
HEAD-TO-HEAD VERSUS CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
The Spirits have clashed with Carolina University on six occasions in program history with the Bruins coming away with four wins. All six games have taken place at Blixt Field with the first-ever meeting, which took place on March 5, 2022, serving as an away game for Salem after Carolina's usual field unplayable due to weather.
The Bruins swept the doubleheader on March 5th by scores of 15-5 and 4-3, giving them the first two wins in the series. Salem hosted Carolina just over a month later on April 24th, claiming a 5-3 win in the first game of the series before the Bruins bounced back to take game two by a 13-9 margin.
Feb. 17th Recap: With the bases loaded in an eight-all tie in the bottom of the seventh of game two, sophomore Maleah Tate laid down a bunt that scored Savanah Atkins from third, to complete a come-from-behind victory for the Spirits, who split the series with crosstown foe Carolina University.
Carolina took the first game of the doubleheader by a 13-8 margin, but the Spirits earned the split with the 9-8 triumph in game two.
Tate capped off a three-run seventh, which began with a single to centerfield by senior Madeline Brown. With Brown on the base pads, Cassandra Miller drove a two-run home run over the right centerfield wall to even the contest at 8-8. Atkins drew a walk and moved to third on a single to right field by Karma Morrison. Two batters later, Rheanne Tullock loaded the bases with a walk of her own.
The speedy Tate stepped into the batter's box with two outs and dropped a bunt back to the pitcher, allowing Atkins to score the game-winning run. The victory capped off a complete game victory for first-year pitcher Isabella Morales, who struck out seven batters along the way.