• Box Score

SALEM, Va. (March 19) – Behind a two-homer, six-RBI performance by senior right fielder Julie Mackenzie (Mississauga, Ontario/Meadowvale), the Vulcans opened the Salem Invitational with an impressive 14-3 victory in five innings over Wheeling Jesuit on Friday night.

The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the California University of Pennsylvania softball team, which improves to 4-7 this season. Meanwhile, Wheeling Jesuit falls to 3-9 overall this year.

Mackenzie paced the Vulcans' offense with one double, two homers, six RBI and three runs, while junior first baseman Amanda Wallace (Oakmont, Pa./Penn Hills) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs. Sophomore shortstop Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) added three hits, including a pair of doubles.

Junior hurler Maria Greco (Pickering, Ontario/Notre Dame Catholic) collected the win for Cal U, tossing 2.2 innings of scoreless, no-hit relief and registering seven strikeouts with no walks. Cardinals' starter Ashley Nichols suffered the defeat after being roughed up for 11 runs (all earned) on 11 hits in 4.2 innings of work.

The Vulcans jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning behind a two-out rally. Wallace opened the inning with a single before senior left fielder Kayleigh Braim (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) reached base safely after being by a pitch with two outs. Freshman center fielder Jami Otter (Whitby, Ontario/Anderson C.V.I.) then lined a RBI single that scored Wallace from second. Mackenzie followed with a three-run longball.

Wheeling Jesuit cut the deficit to 4-3 in the third on back-to-back homers before Cal U plated a pair of runs in the fourth inning on doubles by Mackenzie and Russell. The Vulcans then tacked on eight more runs in the fifth, taking advantage of five extra-base hits in the inning. Braim drove in a pair with a triple before scoring on a two-run homer by Mackenzie, her third of the season and 14th of her career. Wallace plated the last two runs of the game with a two-out double that scored runners from first and second.

The Vulcans continue play at the Salem Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, March, 20, when they face Charleston (W.Va.) and Alderson-Broaddus.