SALISBURY, MD –Salisbury University scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the score, then drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to complete a doubleheader sweep of the University of Rochester in a softball matchup pairing the nation's #8 and #9 ranked teams.
 
The Sea Gulls ran their record to 8-0 this season with the sweep. The won the opener, 12-0, and took the nitecap, 5-4. The first game was shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule. Salisbury has won 34 consecutive home games. The last loss for the Sea Gulls at home occurred in February, 2020.
 
Rochester (0-2) gets another crack at SU on Sunday. The Yellowjackets will play Salisbury in a doubleheader at 11 a.m. The second game on Sunday was supposed to be against #10 The College of New Jersey. TCNJ withdrew on Saturday. The coaches decided to play twice on Sunday  vs. each other.
 
The Yellowjackets put up a good battle in the second game. Graduate transfer student Bryce West yielded two hits over the first five innings. She walked one in the first, then did not permit another free pass until the crucial sixth inning when SU capitalized to tie the score.

 

West provided a first inning lead for herself. With two down in the first, juniors Hannah Keiper and Allison Beckwith drew walks. West clubbed a double to the base of the right center field fence, scoring both women. The lead went to 3-0 in the top of the third. First-year Bailey Nicholoff homered to left. Junior Hannah Keiper singled through the left side and that chased SU starter Nicole Ortega. She was relieved by Savannah Sheets. The new pitcher retired three in a row – two by strikeout – to get out of the inning.
 
Rochester challenged in the fourth, but wound up leaving the bases loaded. Sophomore Hunter Gilbreath singled. Sophomore Loren Castilloux bunted and beat the throw to first for an infield single. A wild pitch advanced both runners. Sheets retired three of the next four, yielding only a walk to Nicholoff. UR added its fourth run in the fifth. Beckwith walked and first-year Savannah Nowak ran for her. West hit another double into the gap to put runners at second and third. Nowak scored on a short sac fly to left by junior Madi Turner.
 
Sheets held firm. She retired eight of the last nine that she faced – five by strikeout. She finished with eight Ks and allowed five hits.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, West retired the first two hitters on groundouts. Carly Galbraith's fly ball into the left field gap deflected off a glove and she reached first base on the error. Two singles loaded the bases. West pitched to Lindsey Windsor carefully and wound up walking her to force in one run. In the first game, Windsor not only pitched a two-hit 12-1 victory, but she hit a three-run home run to ignite the scoring. Salisbury hit three home runs in the opener. The Sea Gulls sent 10 hitters to the plate in the second inning (scoring six runs) and sent 10 more up in the third, scoring four more. The Rochester run in game one was a home run to straightaway center field by Nicholoff.
 
With one in and three on, Salisbury shortstop Natalie Paoli laced a triple to center field which tied the score. West was relieved by first-year Lauren Keys. She got an inning-ending groundout. In the bottom of the seventh, a walk and a misplay on a sac bunt put two runners aboard. Lauren Meyers doubled to left center for the winning run.