DeSantis and Henning Lead Salem in Doubleheader Split

SALEM, Mass. – This evening, Salem State softball played host for the Pilgrims of New England College (NEC) for the second time in just one week. The Pilgrims took game one by a score of 4-1 before the Vikings erupted for 16 hits, bringing in the same number of runs, to take the 16-6 victory in six innings for game two.

For the Vikings, Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y) and Emily Henning (Grafton, Mass.) each recorded two home runs and five RBIs on the day to lead the charge offensively.  Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.C.) and Janae Santos (Cambridge, Mass.) each added two doubles on the night while Rebecca Walker (Lynn, Mass.) hit a triple in the game two victory.

Game 1

• Both teams remained relatively quiet through the opening three innings with the Pilgrims notching two hits and Allison Frost (Auburn, Mass.) recording the Vikings first hit after laying down a bunt, but she would be left on base to send the game into the fourth with neither team crossing the plate.
• The Pilgrims were able to use aggressive base running and capitalize off a hit and a Viking error to cross the plate twice in the top of the fourth to grab a 2-0 advantage.
• Henning wasted no time cutting the Pilgrims' lead in half when she launched a solo homer over the left field fence to make it a 2-1 game heading into the fifth inning.
• NEC built on their lead in the top of the fifth when Emma Lopez (Downey, Calif.) stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded to drive in two runs, before holding Salem hitless in the bottom half of the inning to head into the sixth with the 4-1 edge.  
• The final two innings would see only one hit from either team, allowing the Pilgrims to take the first game by a score of 4-1.

Game 2

• The Pilgrims picked up where they left off to start the second game, as Destiny Helmedach (Middlefield, Conn.), notched a double and would cross home later in the inning to take the early 1-0 lead. Walker matched the Pilgrims' double with a triple to start the bottom half of the first, which would allow her to score on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at one apiece after one.
• After adding two runs to take the lead in the second (3-1), the Vikings built on their lead in the third inning when they exploded for five runs, highlighted by a three-run DeSantis homer, to take the sizeable 8-1 advantage.
• Both teams added a run to their total in the fifth before a Helmedach double to start the sixth inning rallied her team to a comeback as they added three runs to their total to head into the bottom of the sixth behind 9-6.
• The Vikings secured the game two victory in the bottom of the sixth inning as DeSantis notched her second home run of the game to reestablish a five-run cushion (11-6) before Henning notched her second home run on the day with a three-run bomb to end the game at 16-6 in the Vikings' favor.