Salem, Va. – The Mercyhurst College softball team went 2-1 during the second day of the Salem Tournament Saturday, March 20 in Salem, Va. The Lakers dropped a 2-1 decision to Davis and Elkins before defeating Virginia State and Ohio Valley by identical 8-0 scores.

Mercyhurst (11-11) played two games in the morning, with the Ohio Valley contest taking place under the lights.

In the opening game of the day, the Lakers fell behind, 2-0, after Davis & Elkins scored one run in the fourth and added one in the fifth inning.

Mercyhurst sliced the deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore Jen Bower hit her fourth homer of the season, a solo shot. The Senators held off the Lakers the rest of the way for a 2-1 victory.

Mercyhurst sophomore Kristi Janoske pitched three and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on five hits. Junior Amanda Norman threw three and one-thirds innings in relief while yielding one run on two hits. Junior Kara Gorgos belted a double for the Lakers against Davis & Elkins.

Against Virginia State, Mercyhurst opened up an 8-0 lead after the first three innings, aided by a four-run third frame. The Lakers got to the starting pitcher for eight runs on 10 hits in the opening three innings. Mercyhurst shut out VSU, winning by run-rule after five innings. Junior Michelle Schmitz homered for the second time in as many days, and sophomore Emily Redig added a double.

Norman allowed one hit in four innings, while freshman Megan Hopton gave up just one hit in an inning of relief for the Lakers. 

The Lakers opened their third game of the day with a three-run first inning. Ohio Valley managed just two hits off of Janoske, who also struck out five Fighting Scots hitters. Mercyhurst added single runs in the third and fourth before ending the game with a three-run sixth inning, run-ruling Ohio Valley, 8-0.

Schmitz and Bower doubled for the Lakers against Ohio Valley.

The Lakers next travel to Painesville, Ohio for a double-header at Lake Erie College Tuesday, March 23 at 2:30 p.m.