PHOTO BY BRIAN HOFFMAN
The Salem High softball team saw their 9 game win streak come to an end last week with a 10-3 loss at Cave Spring. The Spartans bounced back Tuesday with a 9-4 win over Blacksburg at the Moyer Complex in Salem.
The Spartans had given up just five runs total in their previous 12 games before Cave Spring hung 10 on them last Friday in Roanoke County. That included a string of six straight shutouts, one being a 4-0 win over Cave Spring at the complex. However, the Knights touched Cora Robinson for seven earned runs in four innings this time despite Cora fanning nine. Caitlin Wells led Salem at the plate going three-for-four and Evie Van Liew was two-for-four with a pair of RBIs.
Last Wednesday at Northside the Salem bats were on fire in a 17-2 win over the host Vikings. Piper Furmage drove in four runs for the Spartans, including a two-run homer in the first inning. Furmage went four-for-four on the day and Robinson was four-for-five with a pair of runs batted in. Anne Crew and Cora Grace Sparger each had three hits and Sparger got the win in the circle for Salem in a slaughter-rule shortened game.
With Tuesday’s win over Blacksburg the Spartans are now 12-4 on the season and 7-1 in the River Ridge District. Wells had three hits against the Bruins and Van Liew smacked her third home run of the season. Robinson pitched the first four innings to pick up the win and Sparger went the last three for a save.
Tonight the Spartans go to Franklin County for a non-district game, but it will be a big test to see how much the Salemites have improved since the beginning of the season. The Spartans were shut out by the Eagles, 15-0, in the season opener at the Moyer Complex and Franklin County is now 14-3.
On Friday Salem will host Hidden Valley at 5 pm at Moyer, followed by a trip to Christiansburg next Tuesday.
