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

Scores:
Methodist 10, Salem 5
Methodist 13, Salem 5 (5 innings)

Records: Salem (4-28, 1-17 USA South) / Methodist (16-18, 7-9 USA South)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The tandem of first-year pitcher Alli Stertzbach on the mound and Kat Price at the plate highlighted Salem's 2023 regular season finale against Methodist at Blixt Field on Saturday, April 29th. Stertzbach tossed both 12 innings of the doubleheader setback (10-5 / 13-5 {5 inn.}), converting four K's and 233 total pitches. Meanwhile, Price delivered four hits, four RBI and sacrifice fly for the Spirits lineup.

With her two two-hit performances, Price closes out the 2023 campaign with 14 hits, tying her alongside Carlee McWilliam for fourth-most on the team. It also marks the first time in her career that she has had multiple hits in consecutive contests.

Stertzbach, who dropped to 1-10 on the season with the setbacks, tossed a complete-game in the first contest against Methodist. She tallied two strikeouts and was responsible for six walks and four earned runs. She returned to the circle in the second game, hurling five innings, where she again talked two K's and allowed six earned runs.

The Spirits also received two-hit games on the day from Maleah Tate, Shelby LaPoint and Savanah Atkins. Tate delivered two hits for the second time this season in the opening game of the series. Atkins also stroked two hits for Salem in the opening game, marking her sixth time this season to notch at least two hits. Atkins finished the season with 19 hits, seven off the pace established by Madeline Brown, who closed with a .325 batting average, 26 hits, seven doubles, one triple and one home run.

LaPoint's two hits in the final game of the season marks the fourth time that she reached two hits in a single game in 2023.

GAME 1: Methodist 10, Salem 5
W: Emma Neeley (6-5) / L: Alli Stertzbach (1-9)
Salem Leaders: Kat Price (2-2, 2 RBI), Maleah Tate (2-3, 2 runs, SB), Savanah Atkins (2-3, RBI, 2 runs, SB), Cree Bass (1-3, RBI)

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Price had her third two-hit game of the season, along with outings against Livingstone (March 20-G2) and N.C. Wesleyan (April 2-G1).
-Alli Stertzbach tossed a complete-game, surrendering just four earned runs and making two K's along the way.
-Tate delivers her second two-hit game of the season, replicating her performance in game two of the clash with Southern Virginia (April 11).
-Atkins' two-hit game marked the sixth time this season she has notched at least two hits.
-Salem put three runs across in the first, the first coming with a single to centerfield by Atkins that plated Madeline Brown.
-Shelby LaPoint drove home the second Salem run of the game with a sacrifice to left field, plating Tate.
-A sacrifice bunt back to pitcher by Price brought home Atkins for the third run of the first.
-Price's second RBI of the afternoon came with a base knock to centerfield, scoring Tate. Bass followed by reaching on a fielder's choice that plated Atkins.

METHODIST HIGHLIGHTS
-Three Monarch hitters had multiple hits in the contest, including Alyssa Rivas (2-3, 2 RBI), Emily Angel (2-4, 3 RBI, 2 runs) and Maria Kollar (2-4, RBI, run).
-Emma Neeley fanned six Salem hitters in her complete-game performance, allowing two walks and five earned runs.
-Both of Angel's hits resulted in home runs for the Monarchs.
-Both Alexandra Edwards and Haley Fethke had doubles for Methodist, which tallied three extra-base hits on the game.
-Monarchs plated five runs in the fourth inning and two in the sixth as they scored 10 runs in the contest.
-Methodist tallied six of its 11 hits in the Top-five hitters of the order.

GAME 2: Methodist 13, Salem 5 (5 innings)
W: Alyssa Barwick (7-7) / L: Alli Stertzbach (1-10)
Salem Leaders: Shelby LaPoint (2-2, run), Kat Price (2-3, 2 RBI), Maleah Tate (1-3, run, SB), Savanah Atkins (1-3, 2 runs, RBI)

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Alli Stertzbach pitched a combined 12 innings, making four K's and allowing 10 ER and 11 walks in a 13-5 setback in the final game of the season. She tossed a total of 233 pitches.
-Price wrapped up the regular season with back-to-back two-hit outings, giving her four two-hit games over the course of the season.
-LaPoint had four games with multiple hits in her first season at Salem, finishing the campaign with two two-hit performances in her final three contests.
-Atkins capped off the final game of her senior season by scoring four runs on the afternoon, two in each contest, giving her four games with at least two runs scored on the slate.
-Tate has swiped four bases in her last six games of the season. She had two games with at least two steals, including a single-game season-high three in a clash with Greensboro (April 15-G1).
-Cree Bass drove in the first run of the game by drawing a bases loaded walk in the first.
-A steal by Tate, coupled with a throwing error, allowed Katie Gerhardt to cross the plate for the second Salem run in the fifth.
-Atkins dropped a single just inside the left field line, scoring Tate, for her 41st career RBI.
-Price roped a single to shortstop, scoring both LaPoint and Atkins, as Salem tallied its fifth run of the game.

METHODIST HIGHLIGHTS
-Methodist closed the contest with 12 hits, highlighted by a pair of two-hit games from Emily Angel (2-2, 3 RBI) and Virginia Crews (2-2, RBI, run).
-Angel ended the game with two doubles, while teammate Heather Tsapp also reached base on a double for the Monarchs.
-Rebekah Haiger picked up her second win of the slate after allowing five runs (two earned runs) on six hits and fanning two Salem hitters.
-Methodist broke the game open with two five-run innings, in the first and second, along with a two-run third.