Vikings Drop Both Games on Day One in Florida

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Salem State softball opened their 2024 season in Florida today when they took on the Dragons of SUNY Cortland and the Nor'Easters from the University of New England (UNE). The Dragons and Nor'Easters were both able to hold the Vikings to one run to take the 7-1 and 8-1 victories, respectively.

For the Vikings, Allison Frost (Auburn, Mass.) led the Vikings with four hits on the day while Samantha Gaona (Billerica, Mass.) added two hits with her hit in the Cortland game marking her first in a Viking uniform.

Game One vs. SUNY Cortland

• Cortland's Gina Myers (Liverpool, N.Y.) opened the game with a triple before finding her way across the plate on a wild pitch to notch the Dragons first run of the game.
• The Vikings were able to turn a double play in the early part of the second but a couple of errors later in the inning would put the Dragons ahead, 3-0.
• Over the next four innings the Dragons would add just as many runs to their total to make it a 7-0 game in the bottom of the sixth inning.
• The Vikings' bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth when a trio of Vikings connected on singles to load the bases for Paige Souza (New Bedford, Mass.), who was able to bring a run around on a sacrifice fly for Salem's first of the game. However, that would be the only Viking to cross the plate in game one as the Dragons went on to take the 7-1 victory.

Game Two vs. UNE

• Highlighted by a three-run double from Hannah Irons (Plainfield, Conn.) in the bottom of the third, the Nor'Easters amounted eight runs in the opening three innings to take the 8-0 lead over the Vikings.
• In the top of the fifth Gaona singled up the middle for the Vikings before eventually finding her way to third base on a wild pitch later in the inning. Shortly after Gaono crossed the plate after Cassandra Valentine (Westwood, Mass.) grounded out to second, making it an 8-1 game in favor of UNE.
• UNE would hold the Vikings to one hit over the final two innings to take the 8-1 victory on the afternoon.

Salem State will look to bounce back tomorrow, March 11, when they face Ripon College (9 a.m.) and then Wilmington College (11:15a.m.) in Clermont, Florida.