CAC Champs! Sea Gulls Edge Captains In Conference Title
The Salisbury University softball team claimed the 2016 CAC Conference Tournament Championship Saturday morning with a 2-1 win over Christopher Newport. The win is the 17th straight for SU as they improve to 34-4 on the year.
The Captains would jump out to a quick lead, after Scoop Simon would turn on a pitch in the 1st inning for a solo shot. Salisbury would answer back in a hurry though. Molly Simpson would have a single to get it started, followed by Annah Brittingham getting on base off a fielding error. That brought to the Kim Dorsey who would double to center to empty the bases, and give SU the lead. Brittingham would then have to navigate herself through the next few innings. She would get a pair of strike outs in the top of the 2nd to keep her team out in front. Salisbury then had a chance to break the game open with the bases loaded with 1 out in the bottom of that frame with Simpson up to bat. She would strike out for just the 7th time this season. That was followed by a fly out Paige Knussman to end the inning. The Captains would then get runners on 1st and 2nd with no out, before a line drive was hit to Simpson. She would make the catch, and then double up the runner on 1st. CNU would again threaten in the 4th, after Simon drew a walk, and stole 2nd with no out. Brittingham though would work her way out of the jam again with no damage. The Captains then had their best chance to score again in the 5th, after they worked the bases loaded with 1 out. A line drive would be hit to short for the firs tout, bringing back to the plate Simon. She would then hit a slow roller to 2nd, and Simpson would be able to handle it for the out. The Captains then began to press in the 6th after getting a runner on 1st and 2nd. They would try the double steal, with the runner getting thrown out at 3rd for the 2nd out of the inning. A strike out would then end the inning. CNU would hen get a base runner in the 7th, and would have Simon on deck, but a ground out would end the game.
Brittingham would pitch a complete game, giving up 1 earned run off 5 hits while striking out 7 and giving up 3 walks. Salisbury now awaits the draw for the NCAA tournament to find out where and who they will be playing in regionals.
