Site: Blixt Field | Winston-Salem, N.C.

Scores:
Sweet Briar 10, Salem 2 (6 inn.)
Sweet Briar 3, Salem 0

Records: Salem (4-24) / Sweet Briar (12-22)

Next Game:
Salem at William Peace | WPU Softball Complex | Raleigh, N.C. | April 26 | 2:00 / 4:00 p.m.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Savanah Atkins capped off her Senior Day for Salem softball by combining for two doubles and her ninth career home run, but the Spirits suffered a pair of non-conference setbacks to Sweet Briar by scores of 10-2 (6 inn.) and 3-0 at Blixt Field on Sunday, April 23rd.

Atkins mimicked former teammate Brianne Coleman, who hit a home run in game one of her 2022 Senior Day, with a solo blast over the left field wall in the first game of the doubleheader. She bookended the opening game of the doubleheader with a double in the sixth. Atkins picked up her second double of the afternoon in the second game, with a two-base hit down the left field line in the first inning, moving her career number of doubles to 12.

The Spirits also received two hits and two stolen bases from first-year outfielder Maleah Tate. Madeline Brown and Cree Bass also picked up singles for Salem.

In the circle, Katie Gerhardt tallied four strikeouts in the opening game, while Alli Stertzbach added two in her fourth relief appearance of the slate. Kat Price followed by tossing a complete-game, seven hitter, issuing just two walks and converting a strikeout in the second game of the day.

GAME 1: Sweet Briar 10, Salem 2
W: Grace Fisenti (5-7) / L: Katie Gerhardt (2-8)
Salem Leaders: Savanah Atkins (2-3, RBI, run, HR, double), Cree Bass (1-3), Maleah Tate (1-2, run)

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Senior Savanah Atkins delivered two hits, her fourth game of the season with multi-hits, including her ninth all-time home run.
-Atkins moves her career double mark to 11 with a two-base hit in the contest.
-Atkins' home run, which traveled over the left field wall, which cut the Sweet Briar lead to 2-1 in the home half of the second.
-Brown connected on a sacrifice fly to left field, which plated Tate, for the second Salem run of the game.
-Katie Gerhardt tossed 5.1 innings, allowed six hits and converted four strikeouts for Salem.
-Alli Stertzbach made her fourth relief appearance of the season, logging 0.2 innings and finishing with a pair of K's.

SWEET BRIAR HIGHLIGHTS
-The Vixens put the first run on the board with a home run to left by Kaylie Hudson.
-Sweet Briar broke the game open with a six-run sixth inning, plating two of those runs by virtue of a walk.
-Victoria Tew connected on a two-RBI double to left field, stretching the lead to 8-2.
-The final run of the game crossed the plate by virtue of a passed ball.
-The Vixens were led at the plate by Lauren Jamerson (3-4, RBI, run, HR) and Hudson (2-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs, HR).

GAME 2: Sweet Briar 3, Salem 0
W: Grace Fisenti (5-7) / L: Kat Price (1-9)
Salem Leaders: Madeline Brown (1-3), Savanah Atkins (1-3, double), Maleah Tate (1-3, SB)

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-The top of the Salem order, which included Brown, Kat Price and Savanah Atkins, accounted for two hits in the game.
-Tate finished the game 1-for-3 from the plate as Salem's number seven hitter.
-Savanah Atkins moved her number of career doubles to 12 with a two-base hit down the left field line in the first inning.
-Price had her sixth game of the season with at least one K.

SWEET BRIAR HIGHLIGHTS
-Sweet Briar broke a scoreless tie with a three-run fifth inning.
-Kaylie Hudson finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and an RBI, connecting on a double.
-Sweet Briar tallied seven hits in the contest, but Hudson was the only individual with a multi-hit performance.
-Hudson brought home the first run of the game, which came in the form of Ilka Kuleba, on a double.
-Victoria Tew drove a single to short, scoring both Kaydin Williams and Hudson, to extend the Sweet Briar lead to 3-0.