Site: Winston-Salem, N.C. | Blixt Field
Scores:
Salem 6, Brevard 3
Brevard 11, Salem 2
Records: Salem (3-9, 1-1 USA South) / Brevard (4-8, 1-1 USA South)
Next Games:
Salem at Meredith | Raleigh, N.C. | Meredith Softball Complex | April 1 | 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Salem vs. N.C. Wesleyan | Winston-Salem, N.C. | Blixt Field | April 2 | 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Keyed by a five-strikeout performance from junior pitcher Katie Gerhardt, the Salem softball team earned a split in their USA South Conference opener on Sunday, March 26th at Blixt Field.
Gerhardt took advantage of nine hits from the Salem offense, while notching her seventh career multi-strikeout performance, as Salem earned the 6-3 win in game one. While the Spirits ran their winning streak to three straight, the Tornados rebounded to earn an 11-2 victory in game two. It marks the first time that Salem has split a USA South Conference opening series since 2019, when N.C. Wesleyan and the Spirits evenly split the series.
Sluggers Madeline Brown and Carlee McWilliam wrapped up the victory with two hits and one RBI each, while teammate Shelby LaPoint joined the pair with a 1-for-3 outing. The trio managed one double each, giving Brown a team-high five on the season at the conclusion of the day. Both Jessica Pinnix and Maleah Tate scored two runs for Salem.
Brevard's offense avenged the setback with 13 hits in the game two victory. Salem received its two runs by virtue of a double from Lauryn Fisher, who scored Brown and Savanah Atkins in the first inning.
GAME 1: Salem 6, Brevard 3
W: Katie Gerhardt (1-0) / L: Abby Delp (2-5)
Salem Leaders: Madeline Brown (2-3, RBI, run, double), Carlee McWilliam (2-3, RBI, double), Shelby LaPoint (1-3, double), Maleah Tate (1-2, 2 runs), Jessica Pinnix (1-3, 2 runs).
SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Gerhardt establishes her single-game career-high in strikeouts (five), coming through with her seventh multi-strikeout performance of her collegiate career.
-First complete-game victory in the collegiate career of Gerhardt.
-Gerhardt opened the game with three strikeouts in the first inning.
-Brown connected on her team-best fourth double of the season with a leadoff double to right centerfield in the first.
-Carlee McWilliam extended her hitting streak to seven games with a single to right in the home half of the first inning.
-Savanah Atkins brought home the first run of the game in the first after Brown scored on a throwing error.
-Spirits put three runs across in the fifth, the first coming on a sacrifice fly to center by Brown that plated Pinnix.
-Atkins scored Tate from third on a sacrifice fly, pushing Salem lead to 3-0.
-McWilliam plated Jocelyn Rogers with a double to left center, resulting in a 4-0 advantage.
-Final two Salem runs came on a series of fielding errors in the sixth, plating Tate and Pinnix for the 6-0 lead.
BREVARD HIGHLIGHTS
-Brevard's offense was held scoreless until the top of the seventh.
-Mikayla Morgan drove a two-run home run to left centerfield, scoring Beth Hyatt in the process, to halt Gerhardt's shutout bid.
-Valarie Sorrell singled through the left side of the infield, scoring Serena Rodgers-Luckey for the third and final run of the contest.
-Brevard had three hitters with two-hit performances, including Morgan (2-3, HR, 2 RBI), Rodgers-Luckey (2-4) and Sorrell (2-3, RBI).
GAME 2: Brevard 11, Salem 2
W: Grace Reynolds (2-2) / L: Alli Stertzbach (1-5)
Salem Leaders: Savanah Atkins (2-3, run), Jessica Pinnix (2-3), Lauryn Fisher (1-2, 2 RBI)
SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Six different Salem hitters wrapped up the game with at least one hit, including Atkins and Pinnix, who finished with two hits apiece.
-Fisher responsible for two RBI in the game for the Spirits, marking her third game in the last four outings, Fisher has at least one RBI.
-Kat Price came in relief of Stertzbach, tossing 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits, four runs and converting three strikeouts along the way.
-Marks the first time in Price's career in the circle that she has a multi-strikeout performance. Her only previous strikeout came against William Peace (March 29-Game 1).
-Fisher collected her two RBI with a single to centerfield that plated both Atkins and Madeline Brown.
-Carlee McWilliam extended her hitting streak to eight straight games with a single to second in the bottom of the third.
BREVARD HIGHLIGHTS
-Brevard put together three multi-run innings (first, second, seventh) en route to the 11-run performance.
-Five Brevard sluggers had multi-hit performances, including leadoff hitter Mikayla Morgan, who finished 3-for-5 from the plate with three RBI and two runs scored.
-Morgan, along with Valerie Sorrell and Jasmine Webb, came through with doubles for Brevard.
-The Tornados finished with 13 hits in the game, with KateLynn Olive, Valarie Sorrell, Jasmine Webb and Beth Hyatt all posting two hits each.
-Reynolds scattered eight hits and two runs over seven innings, issuing four walks along the way.
