Salem Splits on Day Four in Myrtle

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Salem State softball opened day three in Myrtle Beach with a 13-8 victory over Cairn University before falling 11-2 to Randolph College to bring their record to 2-4 overall.

Salem State vs. Cairn University

• The Vikings applied early pressure, with Rebecca Walker (Lynn, Mass.) sending a ball to right field, putting her on first base before aggressive base running over the next two at bats brought her home for the game's first run. Dawn Eisnor (Medford, Mass.) then doubled to clear the bases, giving her team a three-run lead, before being left at third to end the inning. The Highlanders landed two hits and scored two runs in the bottom half of the first to pull within one run of the Vikings (3-2).
• Eisnor stayed hot for the Vikings in the second inning, singling to left to bring home two runners to add to her squad's lead (5-2).
• Over the next two innings the Vikings jumped out to an 8-2 advantage, before the Highlanders mounted a comeback in the bottom of the fourth when they strung together four hits for five runs to close the gap and bring them within two runs.
• The Vikings wasted no time extending their lead in the fifth, adding three more runs to their total, led by a Janae Santos (Cambridge, Mass.) triple that brought two Vikings home.
• Over the next two innings, Salem's defense held the Highlanders scoreless, while their offense added one more run to bring the tally to 13-7 entering the final inning.
• In the bottom half of the seventh, the Highlanders made one final push when Emma Holmes (Newton, Pa.) singled to left field, bringing in a Highlander and moving one to second but her and the runner on second would be left on base, securing the Vikings' 13-8 victory.

Salem State vs. Randolph College

• The Wildcats took an early 4-0 lead to open the game by scoring four runs in the first inning and retiring the first three Viking batters.
• A quiet second inning from both teams set the stage for another explosive Wildcat performance in the third inning, when they added three more runs to their total while holding Salem hitless, giving them an eight-run lead.
• The Vikings were able to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth and fifth with Santos and Walker both doubling in the respective innings to give Salem two runs on the afternoon, but it would be too little, too late as Randolph would go onto take the 11-2 victory.