Next Games:
Salem at Mary Baldwin | Staunton, Va. | Mary Baldwin Softball Complex | April 5 | 2:30 p.m. / 4:30 p.m.
Salem at Pfeiffer | Misenheimer, N.C. | Jack Ingram Field | April 6 | 3:00 / 5:00 p.m.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, A SCHEDULE CHANGE TO NOTE
In what sounds like a broken record on the Salem softball schedule page, there is inclement weather headed for the North Carolina Triad area this week. Therefore, in an effort to get ahead of the rain, the dates were switched for Salem's game against Pfeiffer from Saturday to Thursday, April 6th. Game times are set for 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. in Misenheimer, N.C.

LAST GAME RECAP (vs. N.C. Wesleyan)
The Salem softball team wrapped up a doubleheader against USA South Conference rival N.C. Wesleyan by suffering a heartbreaking 4-3 setback in game two, following a four-run sixth inning by the Battling Bishops, after a 15-0 (five inning) setback in the opening game of the afternoon on Sunday, April 2nd at Blixt Field.

Salem tacked two runs on the board in the first inning after Kat Price dropped a single into right field, marking the first hit of the afternoon. Two batters later, with Savanah Atkins at first, the pair moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Carlee McWilliam. Shelby LaPoint followed in the lineup with a single to third, scoring Price and Atkins in succession for the 2-0 lead.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth after Madeline Brown slapped a single to right to lead off the frame. Atkins drove a hard-hit grounder to third, which was misplayed by Molly Alejandrino, allowing Brown to scoot home in the process.

The Battling Bishops answered in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs on five hits, scoring the go-ahead run on a single through the left side of the infield by Alexis Whitfield that plated pinch runner Deonna Adams.

Both Brown, who finished 2-for-4 and extended her hitting streak to a team-best ninth straight game, and LaPoint (1-3, 2 RBI) led the way for Salem at the plate. Meanwhile, solid defensive plays from Jocelyn Rogers at shortstop and a diving play by Cree Bass in the outfield, provided Price the defensive support that resulted in a complete game effort.

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS | Game 1
-Stertzbach tosses 1.2 innings in her first relief appearance, closing with five strikeouts.
-Stertzbach has now had multiple strikeout performances on five occasions.
-Price notches her second multi-hit game of the season, finishing 2-for-2 at the plate, hitting second in the lineup.
-Brown extends her hitting streak to eight straight games with a 1-for-2 performance at the plate. That ties McWilliam for the longest hitting streak of the season for the Spirits.
-Brown's hitting streak began with a 2-for-3 outing against Ferrum (March 19-Game 2). She has three multi-hit games during her current eight-game streak.
-Gerhardt came through with a strikeout, tossing 3.1 innings and allowing six earned runs.

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS | Game 2
-Brown extends her hitting streak to nine straight games, a team-best this season, with a single to right to lead off the fifth inning.
-LaPoint had her second multi-RBI game of the season with a single to third in the bottom of the first, plating Savanah Atkins and Price for the 2-0 lead.
-Brown opened the fifth with a single to right field, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Price, before scoring on a fielding error at third on a sharply hit ball from Atkins, giving Salem a 3-0 lead.
-Brown has now amassed four two-hit games in 2023, all taking place in her nine-game hitting streak.
-Price the first Salem hit of the game, a single to right field, in the bottom of the first.

WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE SPIRITS
Salem will have back-to-back doubleheaders on Wednesday and Thursday for the first time since playing Ferrum and Livingstone in consecutive days on March 19 and 20.

The Spirits will begin a six-game road stretch on Wednesday afternoon, when they head to Staunton, Va., to face Mary Baldwin. The following afternoon, after the aforementioned schedule change, Salem will square off against Pfeiffer in Misenheimer, N.C.

The six-game stretch concludes Tuesday, April 11th, when the Spirits will travel to Buena Vista, Va., to face Southern Virginia.

SALEM LONGEST HITTING STREAKS
On Sunday afternoon, Madeline Brown combined for three hits in the doubleheader clash with N.C. Wesleyan, extending her career-long hitting streak to nine straight games in the process.

Brown, who is also responsible for longest hitting streak by any Salem slugger this season, began her streak in the second game of the doubleheader against Ferrum on March 19th. She leads the way in both doubles (four) and stolen bases (four) in that span, accounted for three RBI and has drawn three walks along the way.

The Thomason, Ga., native has the second-best batting average in her nine-game stretch, posting a .481 average. Only teammate Kat Price has a better average (.500) in that same span, hitting 6-of-12 from the plate in six contests.

Brown has amassed a .630 slugging percentage over the last nine games, along with a .516 on-base percentage. She has four two-hit performances, which came against Ferrum (Game 2-March 19), Livingstone (Game 1-March 20), Brevard (Game 1-March 26) and N.C. Wesleyan (April 2-Game 2).

Prior to this nine-game streak, her longest consecutive hitting streak was four, which spanned from March 9 through March 19, 2022.

SALEM LONGEST HITTING STREAKS

TOPPING THE CHARTS FOR THE SPIRITS
Due in large part to Madeline Brown's nine-game hitting streak, the junior slugger leads all Salem hitters with a .415 batting average on the season. Brown tops the Spirits in total hits (17), runs (12) doubles (six), stolen bases (four), on-base percentage (.490) and slugging percentage (.634) on the season.

Kat Price has climbed to second in batting average, boasting a .364 average, which has come by virtue of eight hits. As a result, Price has four runs scored, two stolen bases and one RBI, resulting in a .417 on-base percentage. Teammate Carlee McWilliam is third on the team with a .350 batting average, ranks second in total hits (14) and slugging percentage (.450).

First Year Alli Stertzbach, who wrapped up her first collegiate relief performance with five strikeouts against N.C. Wesleyan, leads all Salem pitchers with 22 K's. Stertzbach has now had multiple strikeout performances on five occasions and has tossed the third-most innings (26.2) on the season.

Price is responsible for a 3.35 ERA for Salem, converting five K's over the course of 37.2 innings. She has allowed 41 runs (18 earned runs) and issued just five walks along the way. Katie Gerhardt is second in both innings pitched (27.2) and strikeouts (9) on the season.

ANALYZING THE FIGHTING SQUIRRELS
Salem Head-to-Head vs. Mary Baldwin: Salem owns a 9-2 lead in the all-time series against Mary Baldwin, winning the last eight straight games. The winning streak began with an 11-2 victory on March 18, 2016 and has included four double-digit point contests. Salem has scored at least six runs in each of its last eight games versus the Fighting Squirrels.

Mary Baldwin enters the clash with Salem with a 9-12-1 mark, including a 3-5 record in USA South Conference play. The Fighting Squirrels are 3-6-1 at home this season, despite dropping a pair of games to Pfeiffer on April 1st by scores of 13-2 (5 inn.) and 6-0. Since March 21st, against Bridgewater, Mary Baldwin is 3-7 overall, allowing 64 runs along the way.

Hadley May leads all Fighting Squirrel sluggers with a .410 batting average, connecting on 25 hits, six doubles, four home runs and one triple. She is tops on the unit in RBI (15), slugging percentage (.738) and on-base percentage (.500) through the first 22 games of the season.

Allison Crum is tied with May for the team lead in hits (25), while Olivia Gagne is third on the unit with 22 in 70 at bats, while leading the way in stolen bases with eight. Crum is second in RBI for Mary Baldwin with 11.

Emily McCreery anchors the pitching staff with a 7-5 mark after tossing 58.1 innings. She has 54 strikeouts to her credit, allowing 68 hits and 34 earned runs. Molly Thompson has the lowest ERA of any Mary Baldwin pitcher (3.68) and has 27 strikeouts on the season, surrendering just 24 earned runs along the way.

ANALYZING THE FALCONS
Salem Head-to-Head vs. Pfeiffer: Pfeiffer has won seven of eight all-time meetings with the Spirits in a series that dates back to March 8, 2018. The Falcons have scored at least 10 runs in three of those contests, including a 10-2 victory in the second game of a doubleheader sweep they conducted a season ago on April 16, 2022.

Pfeiffer heads into its meeting with the Spirits with a 19-9 overall record and is 7-1 in USA South Conference action. The Falcons have won nine of their last 10 outings with the lone setback coming in the opening game of a doubleheader with William Peace (1-0) on March 28th.

Pfeiffer's lineup includes five hitters with at least a .315 batting average, including Kenzi Lyall, who has a .376 average on the season. Lyall leads the Falcons in total hits (35), runs (20) and is tied with Caiti Mickles for home runs with five. Lyall is second in doubles with five, one off the pace of Gracie Griffin, while Kyndell Warren leads the way with 21 RBI for the Falcons.

Pfeiffer is led on the mound by Lyall, who is 10-7 overall, having tossed 86.2 innings, allowed 45 runs (27 ER), issued 40 walks and converted 79 strikeouts. Kali Morton leads the Falcons with the lowest ERA (1.40), has a 9-2 record on the season, and has 80 K's in 65 innings.