WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Salem softball closed out its first series of the season with a pair of setbacks to Columbia International by scores of 11-1 (5 inn.) and 8-4 at Blixt Field on Friday afternoon. 

Despite the setbacks, the Spirits had a solid outings from the trio of Maleah Tate, Reese Upton and Emma Greeson. Tate combined for three hits and four steals, while Upton closed with two hits and a run scored. Greeson's afternoon included a bases-clearing triple in the third inning of game two. 

Columbia International emerged with 11 hits in the first game and followed with 15 in the second to score a combined 19 runs on the afternoon. Caydon Thompson was the biggest nemesis for Salem pitching with five hits in six at bats, which resulted in five RBI, one double and one home run. Thompson scored two runs on the afternoon and had nine total bases. 

GAME 1 | Columbia International 11, Salem 1 (5 innings)
W: Abby Ragan (2-0) / L: Isabella Morales (0-1) 
Salem Leaders: Maleah Tate (2-3, run, 3 SB), Kayla Dick (RBI), Morales (5 IP, 11 H, 11 R, 6 ER, 1 K)

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Tate reached base on a single in the first, marking the first Salem hit of the season. She quickly moved to second on a steal. 
-With one out in the third Tate dropped a single into left field for her second hit of the game.
-Tate followed by stealing both second and third, before trotting home on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Dick, resulting in the first run of the season for Salem. 

COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
-Columbia International put four runs across in the top of the first, scoring Camella Korte on a grounder for the first run. Caydon Thompson homered to right center, resulting in a 2-0 lead, before Abby Ragan brought home Lilli Petty on a two-run blast to left centerfield. 
-The Rams added two more runs in both the second and third innings, stretching their lead to 8-1.
-The lead ballooned to 11-1 with three runs off two hits and three Salem miscues in the fourth. 
-Ragan tossed four innings, allowed just two hits, while striking out seven Salem hitters along the way. 
-Raleigh Shaw also toed the rubber in the circle, tossing one inning, where she fanned two Salem batters. 

GAME 2 | Columbia International 8, Salem 4
W: Isabella Davis (2-1) / L: Riley Dennis (0-1)
Salem Leaders: Emma Greeson (1-3, 3 RBI, triple, run), Reese Upton (2-4, run, 3 SB), Riley Dennis (5.1 IP, 4 K's), Carmen Duffey (1.2 IP, 2 K's)

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Salem closed the second game with six hits, including a triple from Greeson. 
-Spirits finished with four stolen bases, including three from Upton. 
-Maleah Tate got the Spirits offense started in the third with a leadoff walk before motoring to second on a steal. 
-Kat Price advanced Price to second and put runners on the corner with a bunt before Upton reached on a fielder's choice. 
-Two batters later, Greeson cleared the bases with a triple to left centerfield, coming home for the go-ahead run on a grounder from Mackenzie Kramer. 
-Upton delivered her second hit of the game in the seventh, giving Salem its sixth of the game. 

COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
-Isabella Davis picked up her second win due in large part to seven K's over six innings before giving way to Sarah Jordan in the seventh. Jordan allowed just one hit in her one inning in the circle. 
-The Rams grabbed the early 1-0 lead on a double to centerfield in the first the scored teammate Caydon Thompson. 
-Two innings later, in the third, Brown connected on a two-run home run down the left field line that plated Abigail Guthrie. 
-Columbia International capitalized on four hits in the fourth, including a single up the middle by Thompson, which plated Megan Stolzenbach and Sophia Noriega, to assume a 6-4 advantage. 
-The Rams added two insurance runs in the sixth with singles from both Noriega and Brown to move the margin to 8-4.