RALEIGH, NC – The William Peace University softball team opened the season Wednesday afternoon with a pair of wins over Salem College. Brittany Propri powered the Pacers to a 4-2 victory with a walk-off homer in game one. WPU fell behind early in game two before coming back and holding on to win, 6-5. Game One: William Peace 4, Salem 2WPU left eight runners on base and only scratched out five hits in the first six innings. The Pacers trailed 2-1 heading into their final at bat, but Propri ended things with a three-run frozen rope over the left field fence that scored
Lindsey Wiggins and
Caroline Womble, who both singled to start the seventh.
Propri finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored. She drove Kaci Haithcock home in the third after Haithock ripped a double the other way to lead things off. Wiggins went 2-for-3 at the plate. Womble,
Morgan Farmer and
Kelsey Durham also chipped in with one hit apiece.
Farmer started in the circle and out-dueled Lauryn Smith for the win. Farmer's only real mistake was allowing a solo shot to Brianna Morris for a 1-0 Salem lead in the second. The other run she gave up was unearned. Farmer (1-0) struck out five, walked one and held the Spirits to five hits.
On the other side, Smith (0-1) gave up four earned on eight hits, four strikeouts and three walks in a complete-game effort. Along with Morris' homer, Logan Bowling eventually scored after a lead-off double in the fifth. Jennifer Vitarelli went 2-for-4 the plate as well.
Game Two: William Peace 6, Salem 5Salem led 5-3 after the third, but the Pacers rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth and held on to win, 6-5. Wiggins tied the game with a two-out double that plated Durham and
Lindsey Coley. Durham doubled to lead off and Coley followed her with a base hit up the middle. Wiggins scored the eventual game-winning run, as Womble came through in the clutch with a two-out RBI single.
Durham (1-0) tossed a scoreless 4.2 innings to pick up the win in relief of starter
Kim Cook. Brianna Morris (0-1) was pinned with the loss, allowing six runs on 12 hits and four walks in five frames.
Coley collected three of the Pacer's 13 hits, scored a run and drove in another. Wiggins added two hits, two RBIs and a run scored. Womble and Durham each registered two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Propri tallied two more hits and scored a run.
Montana Lineberger and Kierston Garner both went 3-for-4 at the plate to pace the way for Salem. Vitarelli, Bolwing and Briana Crumley added two hits apiece.
The WPU softball team will be back at home this weekend for a pair of doubleheaders starting with Case Western Reserve on Saturday. The Pacers host Guilford on Sunday.
For the latest news and updates from William Peace University Athletics, please visit:
http://gopeacepacers.com/.
