Vikings Split Patriot's Day Doubleheader

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications

SALEM, Mass.- Salem State softball welcomed the Rams from Framingham State University this Monday afternoon to Alumni Field. The Vikings stole the first game, 3-2, before being shutout in the second game, 9-0. The Vikings are now 9-15 on the season and 5-5 in conference action, while the Rams are 12-12, 8-3.

Game One

• Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.C.) reached first base on a fielder's choice in the third. Soon after, Allison Frost (Auburn, Mass.) hit an opposite-field double that allowed Jeffers to score the Vikings' first run of the game.
• The Rams came back strong and tied the game at one in the fourth, thanks to back-to-back doubles by Makayla Rooney (Peabody, Mass.) and Brooke Grassia (Danvers, Mass.)
• In the home half of the fourth the Vikings reclaimed their lead after Dawn Eisnor (Medford, Mass.) hit a ground ball to the pitcher, allowing a runner to make it to home plate, while a Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y.) double that would make it a 3-1 game.
• Framingham would add a tally in the seventh inning but their rally would be halted when the Vikings would strand two runners on base after Samantha Gaona (Billerica, Mass.) recorded the last out to solidify the Vikings' 3-2 victory.

Game Two

• The Rams were able to use two errors in the first two frames to bring around two runs for the early lead.
•  In the third inning the Rams would use two hits and an error to add three more runs to their total to make it a 5-0 game.
• The Rams would put the finishing touches on the game when, in the top of the fifth, when three hits brought around just as many runs to make give them the 9-0 tilt, which would hold through the home half of the frame, to give the Rams the victory after five innings of action.

Noteworthy

• Ally Moran (Wallington, Mass.) retired six Vikings' hitters before DeSantis was able to notch Salem's first hit in game one.
• DeSantis recorded a multi-hit game, while the trio of Samantha Gaona (Billerica, Mass.), Souza, and Frost each recorded a hit during game one.
• Emily Carter (Warwick, R.I.)  recorded the game one victory, improving to 3-4 on the season after pitching a complete game, giving up two runs with seven hits and striking out three batters.
• The trio of Souza, Eisnor, and Emily Henning recorded a hit in the second game of the doubleheader.

Salem State will be looking to bounce back this Wednesday, April 17 when they will travel to Boston to take on Wentworth Institute of Technology Game one is scheduled for 3:30 and game two for 5:30 p.m..