WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Salem's Arianna Ryan became just the third slugger this season to connect on a home run, which she delivered in the third inning of game two. However, it was a pair of all-around performances by the Pfeiffer offense that allowed the visiting Falcons to claim the doubleheader sweep, by scores of 9-4 and 10-2 (5 inn.) at Blixt Field on Saturday, April 16th.
GAME 1: Pfeiffer 9, Salem 4
Pfeiffer (25-8, 11-2 USA South) closed with 14 hits and capitalized on three multi-run innings to pick up a 9-4 win in the opening game of the series.
Salem (5-22, 2-11 USA South) received six of its seven hits from the top three hitters in the lineup, including Brianne Coleman, who finished 3-for-4 from the plate with a double and two RBI. Madison Thomas capped off a solid offensive performance with a 2-for-4 day at the plate that included a run. Arianna Ryan, the No. 2 hitter for Salem, was 1-for-4, while Cree Bass (1-3) accounted for a Spirits hit as well.
Kat Price (0-5) took the loss in the circle, tossing 3.1 innings and allowing four runs and six hits. Her counterpart, Ashlyn Kennedy (13-2) claimed the win for the Falcons, coming through with four strikeouts over 5.2 innings.
Pfeiffer broke a scoreless tie in the top of third after Ashlyn Kennedy opened with a single into right field. Kyndell Warren worked the count in her favor to draw a walk, putting two runners on for Gracie Griffin. Griffin delivered a double into left field, scoring her teammates, but was caught in her attempt to slide into third by the Salem defense.
Price helped her cause in the home half of the third by virtue of a one-out walk. Thomas followed with a single through the left side of the Falcons' infield, advancing Price to second in the process. Two batters later, Coleman connected on a double into right field that allowed Price and Thomas to trot home for the 2-2 deadlock.
Alexis Walter kick started the Falcons offense with a one-out single to left in the top of the fourth. Hannah Tyner quickly followed by connecting on the first pitch of the at bat, sending a two-run home run to left field, providing Pfeiffer with a 4-2 advantage.
The Falcons came through with three hits in the fifth, including a two-out single to centerfield by Caiti Mickles. Mickles moved to second on a single through the right side of the infield by Mattie Hinson. The third and final hit of the frame came off the bat of Alexis Walter, who drove a single centerfield that scored Mickles for the 5-2 lead.
Pfeiffer put together its third multi-run inning of the game in the sixth, scoring three runs off two hits while extending the lead to 8-2. Peyton Farley led off the inning with a walk and slid to second with a single to third by Kennedy. Warren drove a bases-clearing double to left, making for a five-run Falcon lead. The final run came on an infield error, which allowed Warren to cross the plate for the eighth run.
Salem took advantage of three Falcon errors in the home half of the sixth to slice the lead to 8-4. Carlee McWilliam opened the frame with a walk and advanced to second with a single to third by Cree Bass. Faythe Bowles laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving both runners into scoring position, before Abby Shelton reached on a fielder's choice that came as a result of an error by the catcher, scoring McWilliam.
Price kept the inning sixth inning alive by reaching first on a throwing error that moved Bass to third. Thomas followed by reaching on fielder's choice before Arianna Ryan took first with an error at third that allowed Shelton to motor home from third for the fourth Salem run of the game.
GAME 2: Pfeiffer 10, Salem 2 (5 inn.)
The Falcons (26-8, 12-2 USA South) completed their doubleheader sweep with a 10-2 victory in the second game, recording 13 hits along the way. That included a pair of three-hit performances by Emma Chopko (3-4, run) and Cassidy Brinkley (3-4, 3 RBI, run).
Salem's (5-23, 2-12 USA South) two runs came by virtue of a two-run home run by Arianna Ryan in the third inning. Ryan was one of four Spirit sluggers to notch a hit in the game, including Madison Thomas (1-3), Brianne Coleman (1-2) and Savanah Atkins (1-2).
Pfeiffer struck early in the second game of the series, collecting its first hit with a single to third by Kyndell Warren. Gracie Griffen followed with an RBI single to centerfield, scoring Ashlyn Kennedy in the process. Griffen advanced to third and Warren scored, following a wild pitch, which extended the lead to 2-0. The final two runs came off the swing of Caiti Mickles, who drove a pitch over the centerfield wall, giving the Falcons a 4-0 lead.
Griffen picked up her second RBI of the game in the top of the second, connecting on a single to right centerfield, scoring Warren for the fifth run of the game.
A three-run third inning extended the Pfeiffer lead to 8-0. After back-to-back hits by Chopko and Mattie Hinson, which put runners on the corners, Hannah Tyner delivered a single past the infield to score Chopko. Kennedy brought home Hinson two batters later with a single past short, resulting in a 7-0 advantage. Griffen singled to short as well, reaching the outfield, as Tyner scored from second.
Thomas kept the third inning alive for Salem with a single to first, beating out the throw. Ryan brought the Spirit fans to their feet with a two-run slam over the left field wall, marking the first of her collegiate career. Pfeiffer got those runs back in the top of the fourth with a home run of its own, which traveled to centerfield off the bat of Taylor Parrish, expanding the lead to 10-2.
Caiti Mickles (5-4) tossed two innings to earn the victory, while Taylor Parris (S, 1) followed her in the circle, allowing just two runs and striking out three Salem hitters. Katie Gerhardt (1-6) was the pitcher of record for Salem, allowing four runs on three hits. Thomas and Kat Price also entered the circle for Salem, combining for two strikeouts.
Salem remains at home to face USA South Conference foe Mary Baldwin on Wednesday, April 20th. The first game of the doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. and that will be followed by a 5 p.m. contest against the Fighting Squirrels.
