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West Branch Dominates Salem in Softball Matchup

In a dominating performance, West Branch’s softball team capitalized on mistakes made by Eastern Buckeye Conference rival Salem to secure a 10-0 victory in just five innings on Tuesday.

The Warriors took advantage of eight errors committed by Salem, scoring 10 unearned runs to secure the win. West Branch coach Sis Woods praised her team’s error-free performance and noted how they capitalized on Salem’s mistakes throughout the game.

The victory was a significant rebound for West Branch, who was coming off a tough loss to Marlington the day before. Freshman Ellie Tucker expressed how the win was a motivation booster for the team, especially against a rival like Salem.

Tucker led the Warriors at the plate with two hits, including a crucial infield single that extended their lead to 7-0. Josie Milliken and Sara Schmidt also contributed offensively, while Klary McKay delivered a strong pitching performance with four strikeouts.

Despite Salem’s efforts to keep pace, the team struggled to overcome their defensive errors, falling behind early in the game. Salem coach Mike Thorpe acknowledged the team’s disappointing performance and emphasized the need to regroup and move on from the loss.

With the win, West Branch improves to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the EBC, while Salem drops to 2-7 and 1-3 in the conference. The Warriors look to continue their success as they face Minerva next, while Salem aims to bounce back against Alliance in their upcoming matchups.