Box Score

SALEM, Va. – The Mercyhurst University softball team split in their Saturday series at the Salem Virginia Weekend tournament.  The Lakers beat Shepherd 10-8 in the first contest before dropping a 9-5 decision over West Liberty. 
 
In game one, Mercyhurst tallied three runs immediately in the first inning. Senior Molly McNamara, junior's Courtney Smith and Megan Smith all recorded back to back walks to load the bases.  Sophomore Shaina Bunker singled then advanced on an overthrow to draw in two RBIs.  Junior Kaleigh Milliman and senior Kristen Fyffe patiently drew two more walks to send in another RBI and complete the inning. 
 
Shepherd answered back with eight unanswered runs between through the first three innings.  Shepherd tallied 11 hits for eight runs with only one Laker error throughout the rally.
 
At the top of the fifth, Courtney Smith and Bunker tallied back to back doubles to gain back one run.  The next play, Milliman placed the ball in play to record a single and another RBI by a Shepherd error.  Milliman would score with two outs at the end of the inning on an error.
 
Mercyhurst headed into the sixth inning trailing 8-6 to Shepherd.  Courtney Smith drew another walk for the Lakers for senior Amanda Walker to get her first attempt at the Shepherd pitching.  Walker drove Smith to third off her first double of the season.  Bunker would be the hero of game one, hitting her first homerun of the season and giving her team a 9-8 lead.
 
The Lakers would protect the dish for the 1.5 innings.  At the top of the seventh, freshman Allison Yule singled to drive in Julie Harmon to complete the 10-8 win.
 
Sophomore Annie Truelove pitched the first complete inning, allowing five hits, six runs and one walk.  Megan Hopton took the mound for the next two innings, striking out one, before Colleen Griffin would finish the contest for the last four.  Griffin tallied her first win of the season, allowing on two hits, struck out two in 15 batters faced.
 
Mercyhurst (7-9) will finish the weekend at Salem with a doubleheader over Bluefield and Ohio Valley.  Game times are set for 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. respectively.