WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Salem softball wrapped up Senior Day with a multitude of solid individual performances as the Spirits split a doubleheader with Carolina University (5-3 / 13-9) at Blixt Field on Sunday, April 24th. Among those with solid outings were Cree Bass (4-8, 3 RBI, 2 doubles), Savanah Atkins (4-8, RBI, double), Abby Shelton (3-6), Madison Thomas (3-7, 2 RBI) and Brianne Coleman (2-7, 3 RBI, HR).
GAME 1: Salem 5, Carolina U. 3
Three Salem sluggers had multi-hit performances, including Cree Bass, who finished 3-of-4 from the plate with three RBI and a double. Senior Abby Shelton also came through with three hits on the game, while Savanah Atkins was 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored. Brianne Coleman connected on her 20th career home run, finishing 1-for-3 from the plate, scoring two runs along the way.
Madison Thomas earned her seventh win in the circle after tossing a complete game, five-hitter that resulted in just three runs (one earned run). Thomas had her fourth game of the season with at least four strikeouts.
Carolina put two runs across in the top of the second inning, establishing the early lead. Danielle Brooks kept the inning alive with a two-out walk, which was followed by a triple to right by Makinnia Hill. Hill trotted across the plate, giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead, after Kayli Cassady reached on an infield miscue.
Salem bounced back in the third to even the game at two-all, taking advantage of three hits in the frame. Coleman drew a leadoff walk and moved into second with a single to left by Atkins before Carlee McWilliam loaded the base pads with a walk. Two batters later, Bass drove a double into left field, scoring Atkins and Coleman to tie the game. Shelton kept the Spirits bats hot with a single to third, but Salem closed the inning with just two runs.
The Spirits forged in front in the fourth, coming through with three hits in the frame. Ariana Ryan reached on an error at short and two batters later moved to second with an infield single by Atkins. McWilliam singled past the left side of the infield to load the bases with Faythe Bowles next in the lineup. Bowles was hit on the elbow, plating Ryan from third, for the 3-2 lead. Bass delivered an RBI single to center, scoring Atkins, to give the Spirits a two-run advantage.
Carolina bounced back with a run of its own in the fifth after Cassady reached on a single to short. Two batters later, Cassady reached third following a Salem miscue, putting two on for Kalea Bolch. Bolch singled to short, scoring Cassady for the third run, but back-to-back defensive outs by Bass and Thomas ended the Bruins' scoring opportunities.
Coleman was singlehandedly responsible for the lone run in the fifth, slamming her 20th career home run over the left centerfield wall on the third pitch of the at bat.
GAME 2: Carolina U. 13, Salem 9
Five Salem sluggers finished with multiple hits in the second game, including Madison Thomas, who was 3-of-5 at the plate with two RBI and three runs. The quartet of Arianna Ryan (2-3, 3 RBI, double), Savanah Atkins (2-4, RBI, double), Carlee McWilliam (2-4, RBI, double) and Kat Price (2-3, run) were responsible for two hits each. Brianne Coleman finished her final game at Salem with a 1-for-4 outing that included two RBI.
Price (0-7) logged 1.2 innings as the Salem starter, allowing two hits and three runs, before giving way to Shelton. Shelton scattered 10 hits and made one strikeout in her final pitching performance at Blixt Field.
After a scoreless first, Carolina put three runners across in the second inning. Danielle Brooks single to second and Nicole Otto drew a walk to put two on with just one out. Two batters later, Kayli Cassady drove a three-run home run over the left field wall, providing the Bruins with a 3-0 advantage.
The Bruins extended their lead to four runs in the third after Kalea Bolch and Makinzie Brown drew a pair of walks. Brooks sent a single to centerfield, moving Brown to third as Bolch narrowly beat out the throw home to make for a 4-0 lead.
Shelton kick started the Salem offense in the third with a leadoff walk. Shelton moved to third on a single to left by Thomas, who slid into second by virtue of the throw. Ryan broke the inning open with a double to centerfield, scoring both Thomas and Shelton, as the lead was trimmed in half, 4-2. Coleman extended the frame by reaching on a walk, moving to second on walk by Atkins. The Spirits were unable to capitalize on Coleman at second as the inning ended on a fly ball to left.
Carolina got one of those runs back in the fourth after a single by Riley Hope and double from Maggie Smith put two runners in scoring. Bolch delivered with a clutch single to second, scoring Hope as the lead moved to 5-2.
Cassady connected on her second home run of the game to lead off the sixth, stretching the lead to 6-2. The remaining two runs of the frame came off the bat of Bolch, who drove a single to right centerfield that scored Smith and Hope, resulting in an 8-2 lead.
The Spirits had their second multi-hit inning of the game in the sixth, which began with a leadoff double to left by Bass. Two batters later, Price laid down a bunt that put Bass at third, which was followed by Thomas' single to centerfield, scoring Bass for the third run.
Ryan kept the Salem rally alive in the sixth with a walk, putting two runners on for Coleman, who emerged with a two-run single to right field that sliced the margin to 8-5. Atkins followed that with a double off the left field wall, moving Coleman to third. McWilliam drew a walk to load the bases, but a fly to right ended the scoring threat for Salem in the sixth.
The top of the seventh resulted in five runs off four hits for the Bruins. The big hit came from Bolch, who drove a grand slam over the left field wall, making for a 13-5 contest.
Salem went down fighting, scoring four runs on five hits in the bottom of the seventh. Both Bass and Shelton drew walks to lead off the frame and Price delivered a single up the middle to load the bases. Thomas followed with a single of her own, scoring Bass, to result in the sixth run. Ryan drove a single to left, scoring Shelton, and again load the bases.
Two batters later, Atkins connected on a single to short that plated Price as the margin stood at 13-8. McWilliam was responsible for the final Salem run of the season, roping a single to left that scored Thomas.
