It may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Salem ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They had just enough and edged out the Melbourne Bearkatz 10-9. The victory was some much needed relief for the Greyhounds as it spelled an end to their five-game losing streak.
Ethan Birmingham made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out 12 batters over 5.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Those 12 strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and three runs. He has become a key player for Salem: the team is 4-2 when he posts at least two stolen bases, but 5-6 otherwise.
Caleb Smith
| 04/07/26 vs Melbourne | 3 |
| 04/06/26 vs Valley Springs | 1 |
| 04/03/26 vs Cotter | 2 |
| 03/30/26 vs Flippin | 1 |
| 03/21/26 @ Nemo Vista | 0 |
| + 4 more games |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Caleb Smith, who went 3-for-5 with three RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most hits he has posted over his last nine matchups. Another player making a difference was Aiden Province, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
Salem now has a winning record of 9-8. As for Melbourne, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-4 record this season.
Salem wasted no time getting back out on the field and has already played their next game, a 12-11 win against Mountain View on the 9th. As for Melbourne, they have also already played their next matchup, a 3-2 loss against Yellville-Summit on the 9th.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
