Site: Danville, Va. / Cougar Field

Scores:
Averett 11, Salem 3 (6 innings)
Averett 17, Salem 1 (5 innings)

Records: Averett (2-0) / Salem (0-2)

Next Game: Salem vs. LaGrange / Salem vs. Eastern Mennonite | March 5 | Walnut Creek Athletic Complex | Raleigh, N.C. | 10:00 a.m. / 2:00 p.m.

DANVILLE, Va. — Averett opened the 2023 season with a pair of decisive victories (11-3, 17-1) over Salem when the two teams collided at Cougar Field on Saturday, February 18th. The two wins move the Cougars winning streak to eight games in the head-to-head series between the two programs.

The top Salem hitter on the afternoon was junior Madeline Brown, who finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Salem also received an extra-base hit from Carlee McWilliam, who finished 1-for-3 in the opening game of the series, as well as first year Jocelyn Rogers, who was 1-for-2 with a double in the second game.

Kat Price entered the circle as the first game starting pitcher, allowing six earned runs on the contest. Teammate Alli Stertzbach tossed four innings, allowing five hits and seven earned runs while notching a strikeout in her collegiate debut on the mound in the second game.

GAME 1: Averett 11, Salem 3 (6 innings)
W: Sullivan (1-0) / L: Price (0-1)
Salem Leaders: Madeline Brown (1-2, run, double), Kat Price (1-3, run), Carlee McWilliam (1-3, double), Jessica Pinnix (1-2, run)

SALEM OF NOTE
-Kat Price earned the starting nod in the circle, tossing five innings, where she allowed six earned runs off 14 hits.
-Salem generated four hits in the game from the quartet of Madeline Brown, Kat Price, Carlee McWilliam and Jessica Pinnix.
-Both Brown and McWilliam came through with extra-base hits in the contest, delivering doubles.
-Pinnix collected her first collegiate hit in the top of the fifth with a single down the left field line that put teammate Katie Gerhardt at second.
-Salem scored its first run of the year when Pinnix scooted home on a wild pitch.
-Brown and Price brought home the second and third runs of the game on a dropped foul ball.

AVERETT OF NOTE
-The Cougars collected 14 hits in the game, including six from the top-third of the order. Leadoff hitter Kailey Gates finished the game 4-for-4 with three runs and a double, while the No. 2 hitter in the lineup, Angela Rodriguez, was 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
-Mackenzi Luckenbaugh generated five RBI in the game, closing the contest 3-for-4 with a triple.
-Taylor Sullivan tossed four innings in the victory, allowing three hits and making three strikeouts.
-Averett had three multi-run innings, including a five-run second, which helped the Cougars establish a 10-0 lead through four complete innings.

GAME 2: Averett 17, Salem 1 (5 innings)
W: Adams (1-0) / L: Stertzbach (0-1)
Salem Leaders: Madeline Brown (1-2, run, double), Jocelyn Rogers (1-2, double), Carlee McWilliam (1-2)

SALEM OF NOTE
-Alli Stertzbach tossed four innings, allowing five hits and seven earned runs while notching a strikeout in her collegiate debut on the mound.
-Stertzbach gave way in the circle to fellow first year Jocelyn Rogers, who surrendered one hit and three walks.
-Salem capped off the second game with three hits and two walks, with the top-third of the lineup (Madeline Brown, Jocelyn Rogers and Carlee McWilliam) delivering one hit apiece.
-The lone Salem run came in the third, which came when Brown reached base on a double to left field. Brown advanced to third on a throwing error, scoring the lone Spirits run of the game on an error in left field.

AVERETT OF NOTE
-The Cougars ended the game with 17 runs off six hits.
-Olivia Jones led the lineup by finishing 2-for-4 with five RBI and one run, including a double.
-Angela Rodriguez also came through with a solid outing for Averett with a double, finishing 1-for-2 at the plate with three RBI and three runs scored.
-Madison Adams struck out four batters in three innings, earning the win. Teammate Sarah Lysohir tossed two innings, holding Salem hitless in her time in the circle.
-The Cougars notched at least five runs in three innings, including a six-run first.