BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — The Bobcat softball team opened its Friday doubleheader with a strong all-around effort in a 6-3 victory before Salem answered in the nightcap with a 9-1 win in six innings, leaving the Bobcats with a split at The Bridge. Wesleyan moved to 11-21 on the day, while Salem finished the twinbill at 11-17.
Wesleyan broke through first in the second inning.
Ella Fournier and
Emma Putman opened the frame with back-to-back singles, and
Trinity Nowicki followed with an RBI single that brought home Fournier for a 1-0 lead. Salem answered in the bottom half on Alyssa Schultz's RBI single, but the Bobcats regained control in the third.
Gracey Arnold singled,
Josi Fix walked, and Fournier delivered the big swing of the inning with a two-run double to push Wesleyan back in front, 3-1.
The Bobcats added breathing room in the fourth when Riley singled and stole second ahead of Hague's two-run single, stretching the lead to 5-1. Putman then supplied an insurance run in the fifth, launching a solo home run to make it 6-1. Salem mounted its final push in the bottom of the fifth, scoring twice on a Brooke Wise RBI single and an Ali Jacobs bases-loaded walk, but Wesleyan kept the Tigers from getting any closer.
Wesleyan collected eight hits in the 6-3 win, with Fournier, Putman, and Nowicki each helping drive the offense. Fournier went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, Putman finished 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, and Nowicki added a hit, RBI, run scored, and walk.
Jaelyn Riley also scored once, singled, walked, and stole two bases, while
Lynzee Hague drove in two runs.
Morgan Greene earned the win after working 4.1 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits with four walks and a strikeout.
Mackenzie O'Brien closed the door over the final 2.2 innings, surrendering no runs and striking out two to record the save. Salem starter Brooke Wise took the loss after allowing five runs in three innings.
Game two turned quickly in Salem's favor. The Tigers scored four times in the opening inning and never let Wesleyan recover, limiting the Bobcats to three hits in a 9-1 result.
Reagan Winn accounted for one of Wesleyan's few offensive highlights, going 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored, while Riley and Hague each added singles.
Josi Fix drove in the Bobcats' lone run.
Salem seized momentum immediately in the first. After Brooke Wise doubled to start the inning, Alexis Valverde drove in the game's first run with a single. Ali Shrieve followed with a two-run double, and Alyssa Schultz added an RBI single to cap a four-run burst and give the Tigers a commanding early edge. Wesleyan's best answer came in the fourth, when Winn tripled and scored on Fix's groundout to trim the margin to 4-1.
In the circle,
Mackenzie O'Brien was charged with the loss after Salem's first-inning surge.
Avery Orille followed with 3.1 innings of relief, and
Josi Fix worked the final 1.1 innings for Wesleyan. Lemley earned the win for Salem, allowing just one run over six innings while walking one and striking out one.
The Bobcats take a week off and will return to action on Saturday, Apr. 11 for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at West Virginia State University.
