SALEM, Mass. -- The Vikings of Salem State split a double header with the Colonels of Curry College Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Field. The Colonels edged the Vikings 4-3 in game one as Taylor Ahearn (Salem, MA) picked up the win, allowing three runs on four hits while going 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. However, in game two, Cara Crowley (Lynn, MA) and Michelle Flower (Reading, MA) combined for six hits and two runs to lead Salem State to a 3-1 victory. The split puts the Vikings at 4-8 while the Colonels move to 5-7.

Game One

Scoreless into the second, starting pitcher Lauren DiCredico (Tewksbury, MA) struggled, allowing three singles in a row, then walked Megan Flaherty (Medway, MA) to give Curry a 1-0 lead midway through the second. DiCredico retired the next two batters and was able to get out of the inning with little damage done. After shutting out the Vikings' batters in the bottom of the second, Ahearn struck again, as she hit an RBI double into the gap that scored Allie Carver (Marlborough, MA) to put the Colonels up 2-0. In the next at-bat, Kaitlyn Maderios (E. Bridgewater, MA) doubled bringing in Ahearn to give Curry a 3-0 advantage.

Salem State was able to get two on the board in the third when Crowley hit an RBI triple that drove in DiCredico while scoring herself on an overthrow.

A passed ball with runners on the corners, allowed the Colonels to steal another run as Paige Smigiel (Lisbon, CT) scored on the play to push the lead to 4-2. In the bottom of the sixth, Jenn Toussaint (Reading, MA) hit a sacrifice fly to deep center that brought Flower in from third to cut the Curry lead to 4-3.

Curry left two stranded in the top of the seventh, and gave Salem State an opportunity to win the game in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the inning. Ahearn struck out the side to secure the 4-3 victory in game one.

Meaghan Leary (Andover, MA) and Flaherty also finished with two hits apiece.

Ahearn finished with 13 strikeouts, and only walked two Vikings in game one. DiCredico went all seven in the loss. The senior allowed four runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts.

Game Two

Salem State came out swinging in the bottom of the first, recording three runs on four hits, including hits from Crowley and Flower which set up Toussaint and Paige Fleming (Methuen, MA) for RBI. Also, Toussaint scored on an error in the inning to put Salem State up 3-0 after the first.

After a Marissa Bruno (Milford, CT) triple, Maderios knocked her in with a single to put the Colonels on the board. Starter Jennifer Lundstrom (Rehoboth, MA) struggled in the fourth inning where she allowed three hits. Fortunately, her defense was able to spin a double play to end the inning and remain down two runs.

After five scoreless innings, pitcher Francesca Perrault (Everett, MA) closed out the game for the Vikings, as she was able to get three Curry batters to ground out in the final ining to earn the split with the Colonels.

Perrault picked up her first win as she went all seven innings, allowing only one run on six hits. Lunstrom went six innings and allowed two runs on 11 Salem State hits.

The Vikings host another doubleheader on Thursday, March 27 against the Panthers of Plymouth State at 3:30 p.m. Curry hosts their own doubleheader as well when they host Newbury College Thursday, March 27. (Recap courtesy of SSU Sports Information)