Vikings Drop Opening Game in South Carolina

MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina – Salem State softball opened their 2023 season in Mrytle Beach this afternoon as they took on the Devils of Fairleigh Dickinson University – Florham. After a quiet start to the game the Devils exploded for 11 runs in the final inning to take the commanding 15-0 victory over the Vikings on day one of their spring break trip.

How it Happened:

•  FDU-Florham got on the board first when N. Decena drove in a run for her squad to give them the early 1-0 tilt. In the bottom half of the same inning the Vikings tried to even the score after a hit to left field put some pressure on FDU but Ciara Hoffman (Freehold, N.J.) was able to strike out the next two Salem players to leave Sydney Rodirguez (Brighton, Colo.) on base and send the game into the third.
• The game remained scoreless till the fifth inning when FDU added three runs to their total, with two of those runs coming from a Kristina Pelano (Howell, N.J.) homerun. For the Vikings, Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.C.) doubled to right center, but her squad would not be able to capitalize on the opportunity, sending the game to the final inning with the Devils ahead, 5-0.
• FDU used the top half of the sixth inning to distance themselves from Salem as they used five hits and aggressive base running to notch 11 runs, which would allow them to cruise to the eventual 15-0 victory over the Vikings.