WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Salem softball team makes a brief return to Blixt Field on Wednesday, April 6th, when the Spirits host USA South Conference foe Southern Virginia for a doubleheader set for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The Spirits (3-17, 0-6 USA South) are looking to put the brakes on a six-game skid that began with a doubleheader setback to Meredith (11-3 / 9-2) on March 26th. Salem has won all six previous meetings with the Trojans dating back to the first-ever meeting in the rivalry on February 17, 2017.

ALL-TIME SERIES VERSUS SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
(Salem leads series 6-0)

THOMAS RAISES BATTING AVERAGE OVER .400: Madison Thomas improved her batting average by 36 points over the weekend against Greensboro by finishing 4-of-7 with two RBI and two doubles against The Pride.

Thomas enters the week with a 10-game hitting streak for Salem that began with a 2-for-4 performance in a clash with DeSales on March 9th at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in Myrtle Beach. She becomes the 12th different Spirit to have at least a 10-game hitting streak in their career since the program's induction into the NCAA Division III ranks in 2012.

During her streak, Thomas has emerged with eight runs, five RBI and two doubles, which she split in each game against Greensboro. She has collected two hits on three occasions and three hits on three occasions in that stretch. Thomas' previous career-long hitting streak, five, spanned from March 8, 2020 until February 27, 2022. That included a two-game hitting streak to open this season and a year missed due to COVID-19 protocols.

Brianne Coleman is second on the team in batting average (.380), leading the way in both doubles (six), home runs (three) and RBI (13). She has also drawn a team-high 14 walks, resulting in a .516 on-base percentage and .680 slugging percentage.

Salem 10-Game Hitting Streaks Since 2012

OVER THE WEEKEND IN THE GATE CITY: Salem made the short drive to Greensboro for a two-game series with The Pride on Saturday, April 2nd at Latham Park.

Game 1: The Pride (16-5, 4-1 USA South) were led in the first game by Cheyanne Cox (6-3), who held Salem to just two hits over seven innings in a 2-0 victory.

Cox issued four walks on the afternoon and struck out 13 batters along the way. The two hits that she surrendered to Salem belonged to Carlee McWilliam (1-3) and Madison Thomas (1-3).

Thomas (3-8) also entered the circle for Salem (3-16, 0-5 USA South), finishing with three strikeouts and issuing just six hits in six innings of work.

Game 2: The top-third of the Salem (3-17, 0-6 USA South) lineup provided the punch in the second game, led by Madison Thomas (3-4, 2 runs, double) and Ariana Ryan (2-4, run) and Brianne Coleman (1-2, 2 RBI, double). Also collecting a hit for the Spirits were Carlee McWilliam (1-4) and Madeline Brown (1-3).

Greensboro (17-5, 5-1 USA South) had just one slugger with multiple hits, Caroline Stanley, who finished 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Teammate Hannah French delivered The Pride's only extra-base hit, a triple, in the second game of the day.

Salem enjoyed a two-run third, when Thomas reached on a two-out single. Ryan followed with a single that moved Thomas to second, before Coleman connected on a double that scored her teammates for the 2-1 Spirit lead.

Greensboro regained the lead in the fourth when Kassie Simmons lead off the inning with a single. Ivy Ray reached base on an error, moving Simmons homeward to even the score at 2-2. Ray moved to third on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a M'Kenzie Davis single to provide Greensboro with a 3-2 lead.

A three-run sixth inning stretched the Greensboro lead to 6-2. The big hit came from French, who had a bases-clearing two RBI triple that scored Madison Dillner and Brooke Kinley. Savanah Atkins was responsible for the final Salem run of the afternoon, reaching on a fielder's choice that brought home Thomas and moved Ryan to third.

PREVIEWING SOUTHERN VIRGINIA: The Knights (2-22, 0-6 USA South) have dropped 15 straight contests after posting a 6-2 win over Franklin & Marshall in the first game of a doubleheader on February 26th. Six of those losses have come in USA South Conference doubleheader clashes with Methodist (March 26), Averett (March 29) and most recently Meredith (April 2). That trio outscored Southern Virginia 48-10 in the six-game span.

Krystal Kemp is the leading slugger in the SVU lineup with a .299 batting averaging by virtue of going 20-for-67 from the plate. She has seven doubles, three home runs and one triple to her credit, scoring 10 runs and 17 RBI along the way.

Kemp also leads the way in appearances in the circle (17), boasting a 2-12 record. She has logged 87.2 innings, allowed 137 hits, surrendered 94 runs (79 earned runs) and converted 32 strikeouts.

Teammate Afton Brown (.290) is second in batting average with 18 hits and eight RBI highlighting her season.