SUTHERLAND, Va. (March 13, 2015) – The Edinboro softball team closed its spring break trip with a thrilling comeback win that required 11 innings. The Fighting Scots defeated Salem International 15-5 in extra innings of the second game of a doubleheader after beating the Tigers 5-2 in the first contest. Edinboro won its sixth straight game and moves to 8-2 this year, its best start in at least the last eight seasons. Salem International fell to 4-4, three of those losses coming to the Scots.

Multiple players had big days for the Fighting Scots. Haley Struebing batted 3-for-6 across the two games with one home run, four runs, three RBI including an RBI double to tie the second game in the top of the seventh inning, one walk, and one steal. Edinboro's win streak coincides with Struebing's six straight games with at least one run. She also has three straight games with two runs.

Laura Crooks went 5-for-10 at the dish and has now gone 11-for-17 (.647) over the last four games. The sophomore center fielder added four runs, one RBI, and one steal today.

Taylor Payne came on in relief of the final game and pitched five innings without allowing an earned run. She struck out five and also went 2-for-9 at the plate with four RBI.

Shelby Proctor and Kylie Mason each had big moments in the finale. Proctor hit 3-for-5 while scoring two runs, one off a Struebing's hit in the seventh inning to tie the game, three RBI, and two walks. Mason provided the game-winning hit when she belted a triple to right field that scored Crooks. Both of her hits in the second game were RBI's and she also scored a run.

GAME ONE: Edinboro 5, Salem International 2

Salem International jumped out to an early lead with a run in the top of the first inning. After Cass Alexy doubled to left field, Alyssa Discepola doubled down the right field line to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

The Fighting Scots would not trail for long. With two outs and Crooks on third base, Struebing crushed her fourth home run of the season in the bottom half of the frame. Edinboro led 2-1 at the end of the first inning.

Crooks provided what would end up being the game-winning hit with two on base and two out in the second inning. She singled to left field to drive in Brooke Callaghan from third base to boost the Scots lead to 3-1.

Alexy scored again in the third inning to cut the deficit to one run. After tripling down the right field line, she touched home after a passed ball and Edinboro led 3-2.
                                                                      
Payne provided two insurance runs with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the third inning. The sophomore designated hitter/pitcher singled to right center field to bring in Struebing and Theresa Fleckenstein. That pushed the Fighting Scots lead to the eventual final score of 5-3.

Kerri Stevens had a strong performance in the circle for Edinboro. After an error to begin the fourth inning put Discepola on base, Stevens retired the next seven batters in order. The freshman allowed two hits and two walks in the final two frames but it was not enough for the Tigers to score. She moved to 2-1 on the season while pitching all seven innings, allowed just one earned run, and struck out six. She gave up five hits and walked two.

Katelyn Holestin pitched the entire game for Salem International. She dropped to 3-1 on the year after allowing five hits and four walks while striking out six.

GAME TWO: Edinboro 15, Salem International 5 (11)

The Fighting Scots had to display their resilience in the second game after falling behind early. Abby Sotter was Edinboro's starting pitcher and ran into trouble early. Facing Kayla Guta with two outs and the bases loaded, Sotter forced a 43 groundout.

The Tigers threatened again in the next frame. After a passed ball allowed Tori Butler to score from third base, Katie Chryssofos knocked in two runs with a double to right center. Samantha Weaver came in for Sotter at that point and forced a groudout to Mason at shortstop to end the third inning with Edinboro trailing 3-0.

Edinboro put a base runner on in each of the first three innings but did not advance anybody past second base. That changed in the fourth inning starting with a double to the left field wall by Struebing. Callaghan followed with a single and then Fleckenstein drew a walk to load the bases. The Tigers changed pitchers bringing on Kayla Lynch to replace starter Jordan Williams. Payne then hit a strong shot to left field but it was tracked down by Butler who seemed to have the first out of the inning until the ball went in and out of her glove. That scored Struebing and Callaghan. The Fighting Scots then loaded the bases again after Courtney Korpus walked. MaryLouise Lindner reached on a fielder's choice but Fleckenstein was forced out at the plate. Crooks then popped up to third base and Lindner was thrown out at first trying to tag up. Edinboro was down 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

Weaver retired the first two Salem International batters in the fourth. The Tigers then produced three straight hits with two outs, the last being a single by Chryssofos to score Summer Clark. Their lead increased to 4-2.

The Scots were presented with an opportunity to score the next inning. With two runners in scoring position following a stolen base by Callaghan, Fleckenstein struck out swinging to end the frame.

Weaver pitched strong fifth and sixth innings to keep the gap at two runs with the top of the order due up in the seventh inning. Crooks singled to lead off and was then brought in by a double to left center by Proctor to make it a 4-3 game.  With Mason due up, the Tigers sent Katelyn Holestin in to pitch. Mason popped up to Holestin to bring up Struebing. The Scots junior first baseman lined a shot down the left field line scoring Proctor and tying the game at 4-4. Holestin then struck out the next two batters but Edinboro had done enough to stave off the loss.

Head coach Dan Gierlak then moved Payne to pitcher. The Bellwood, Pa. native retired the side in the bottom of the seventh inning, including two strikeouts, to force extra innings.

Salem International had a chance to end the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. After a single down the right field line by Chryssofos, a throwing error by Mason in an attempt to get Disepola out at first base sailed over by Struebing and allowed Chryssofos to advance to third base with only one out. Payne responded by striking out Guta looking and then forcing Hannah Crew to pop up to second base.

The international tiebreaker rules kicked in in the 10^th inning and placed Callaghan on second base with Fleckenstein leading off. The Scots sophomore catcher laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Callaghan to third base. Payne hit the ball towards third base and the Tigers were able to throw home to tag out Callaghan. Payne advanced to second base on the throw. Jessica Hyland stepped to the plate and laced the ball into left field to score Payne as the Scots held their first lead of the game ahead 5-4. Crooks was retired on a 43 play following the run.

The Tigers would not back away. With Crew on second base due to the international tiebreaker rule, Holestein singled to right field and reached second base due to the throw to cut off Crew. Butler then lined a sharply hit ball at first base and Struebing flashed a quick glove to make the first out. Kristie Young followed with a hit to left field which Hyland misread the ball allowing the ball to drop and Crew to score. Hyland was able to recover quick enough to get the ball into the infield before Holestin could score the winning run. Salem International still represented a scoring threat with runners on the corner but Payne would strikeout the next two batters to continue the game.

 

With the game nearing three hours of duration, the Fighting Scots took advantage of a tired Tigers team. Crooks was placed on second base because of the tiebreaker rules. Proctor flied out to the shortstop to lead off the inning. This brought Mason to the plate. The junior shortstop got a strong piece of multiple pitches in the at-bat but drove them foul and ended up in a full count. Mason pulled through with a triple to deep right field to score Crooks. Mason appeared to be tagged out after falling at third base but was awarded the base due to fielder obstruction.

This sparked a flurry of hits and runs for Edinboro. Mason scored on a fielder's choice play by Callaghan after Struebing walked and stole second. Fleckenstein then drove in Struebing with a double and Payne followed that with a two RBI single. Hyland made up for her mistake in the bottom of the 10^th inning with a triple to bring Melissa Roseman, pinch-running for Payne, across the plate and Edinboro led 11-5. By the end of the inning, the Scots had scored 10 runs with nine hits and led 15-5.

Payne then retired Salem International with ease to finish the game forcing three fly outs. She was credited with the win as she improved to 4-0 this season. She allowed four hits, one unearned run, and walked none while striking out five.

Holestin picked up the loss for the Tigers. She ultimately gave up 11 runs, 10 earned, 11 hits, and three walks over 4.1 innings.

Edinboro is now 2-0 this season in extra innings contests, defeating Mansfield 3-2 in extra's yesterday.

The Fighting Scots are scheduled to face Slippery Rock in a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17 in Edinboro's home opener.