WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After concluding a pair of weekend doubleheaders against Carolina University and Randolph, both which took place at Salem's Blixt Field, the Spirits' softball team treks to Palmetto State to compete in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic, a two-day, four-game tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Spirits will face both Gettysburg (9:30 a.m.) and Montclair State (11:30 a.m.) on Tuesday, March 8th, before squaring off against DeSales (9:30 a.m.) and Centenary (11:30 a.m.) on Wednesday. To watch the games live click this link. To search live stream by fields click here.
COLEMAN, THOMAS HIGHLIGHT STATISTICAL LEADERS: The tandem of Brianne Coleman and Madison Thomas are tops on the Salem statistical charts heading into the trip to South Carolina.
Coleman is the leader among Salem sluggers in hits (nine), doubles (three), batting average (.429), on-base percentage (.478) and slugging percentage (.714). Thomas, who is second in batting average (.304), is also responsible for a .304 on-base percentage and a .391 slugging percentage. She has posted the team's only triple, which came on March 6th against Randolph.
Savanah Atkins leads the way for Salem in both the RBI (eight) and home run (two) categories, cracking her second home run of the season in the doubleheader finale against Randolph on Sunday.
Along with making an impact at the plate, Thomas has left her mark on the Salem pitching staff as well. She has logged 29.1 innings, limited opposing lineups to just 12 walks, and fanned 15 batters along the way. In the opening game of the doubleheader against Randolph, Thomas struck out five Wildcat hitters and equaled her single-game career-high, which she set against Emory & Henry on February 22, 2020. She followed that by logging five innings on the mound in the second game, striking out three Randolph batters along the way, to give her six multi-strikeout games on the season and nine in her career.
ANALYZING MYRTLE BEACH TOURNAMENT OPPONENTS
GETTYSBURG: The Bullets enter Monday morning with a 2-0 mark after scoring eight runs in a pair of wins over Penn State Harrisburg (8-5) and Centenary (8-1) on Sunday afternoon.
Gettysburg, who was ranked No. 24 in the NFCA Preseason Poll released on February 8th, has six players hitting at least .300 at the plate. Allegra DeCandia (.571) leads the way with four hits, recording five RBI and a home run along the way. Teammates Carlie Goldstein, Elliana Hopple and Jordan Pansy are all hitting .500 on the season. Goldstein has collected three hits, including a double and a triple, in her first two contests.
Ella Meyer and Jasmin Herrera each have five strikeouts to lead the way for the Gettysburg pitching staff.
MONTCLAIR STATE: The Red Hawks were picked fifth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
Montclair State opens the tournament by clashing with Gettysburg and Gwynedd Mercy on Monday before facing Salem and Anna Maria on Tuesday. The Red Hawks closed out the 2021 season with a 13-9 overall record, posting a 12-6 record in league play. The season ended with Montclair State dropping its last four straight games.
DeSALES: The Bulldogs begin play on Monday with a 3-4 record after posting back-to-back wins over Blackburn (7-1) and Marymount (4-3) on Sunday at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.
Four DeSales sluggers have at least a .400 batting average, including Rebecca Kibler, who is responsible for a .667 batting average on the slate. Another top hitter in the lineup, Reilly Kerr (.412 batting average), has come through with three doubles and two triples, resulting in three RBI. She leads the way for a Bulldog lineup that has 10 doubles, two triples and three home runs.
Heather Hall, who has logged a team-high 12.2 innings, leads the pitching staff in ERA (2.21). She has fanned eight opposing hitters and surrendered just three walks along the way.
CENTENARY (N.J.): The Cyclones are 0-4 through their first four contests entering Monday's action at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.
Centenary opened the season with a series of setbacks to Marymount (5-3 / 11-3) on March 4th, before making the trek to Myrtle Beach, which resulted in losses to both Gettysburg (8-1) and King's College (Pa.) (14-6) on Sunday afternoon.
Jenna Glinko is one of four Cyclone sluggers with a .300 batting average, hitting .545 on the early slate. She has six hits that have resulted in a team-best six RBI. Centenary has just three extra-base hits on the season, all by virtue of doubles.
Julia Campen, who ranks second on the team in ERA (8.27), has tossed 11 innings in the circle for the Cyclones. She has 13 strikeouts to her credit, six more than teammate Roxana Gonzalez.