Salisbury, Md. -- The University of Lynchburg softball team upset the top-ranked Sea Gulls of Salisbury University on Saturday afternoon.
Sarah Watts hit a go-ahead solo home run in the top of the 7th. Angela Sperandeo pitched a complete game only allowing three hits. She struck out two batters on the way to her first win of the season.
Lynchburg beat Salisbury for the first time since April 11, 2021. Salisbury was defending a 69-game winning streak at home dating back to February 2020 until Watts, Sperandeo and the Hornets rolled into town and upset the top-ranked team in Division III.
The Sea Gulls were 16-0 on the year before Saturday's upset. Salisbury was in the Division III national championship in 2022.
Salisbury struck first in the bottom of the 3rd. Alex DiNardo and Watts both drove in runs in the top of the 5th to take the lead.
After Salisbury retied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the 6th with an unearned run, Lynchburg sent the heart of the order to the plate to lead off the 7th. With one out, Watts hit her third homer of the season deep to left-center field.
Protecting a one-run lead in the last of the 7th, Lexi Powell made a diving catch in foul territory for the second out of the inning.
Sperandeo struck out Salisbury's Abby Mace to complete the upset over the Sea Gulls.
The Hornets took on Swarthmore right after celebrating the big victory.
Madison Barnes started on the mound and pitched 6.1 innings earning her first-career win.
With the game tied 1-1 in the 3rd, the Game 1 hero, Watts, singled in Powell to take the lead. Kaleigh Hackett eventually brought Watts around to score to extend the lead in the inning.
Swarthmore started mounting a comeback in the 7th and crossed home twice. Kailey Dorcsis came in to protect the 4-3 lead. Dorcsis needed two outs to earn her first save of the season. She got the final out with a backwards K to end the game with runners on first and second.
Lynchburg (10-4) welcomes Salisbury to the Hill City on Wednesday, March 22 for a double-header beginning at 2 p.m.
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--LYN--
