RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Meredith College softball team rallied in the sixth inning of game two to split with the visiting Salem Spirits in Sunday's USA South doubleheader. Salem claimed the first 6-1, and the Avenging Angels held on for an 8-5 victory in game two.

Game 1
A pair of singles led to runners on second and third for Salem in the first inning, but Sarah Gundlach caught Breanna Herman looking to bring the Angels to the dugout. Charley Cox responded with a two-out triple but never made it home.

The Spirits drove in three runs through the next two frames and added an unearned run in the fifth for a 4-0 lead.

Susanne Taylor relieved Gundlach in the circle in the sixth, and Salem put two runners on base with a walk and a hit. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and scored on a single from Brianne Coleman for a 6-0 Spirits advantage. Kelsey Mabe led off with a hit in the bottom of the frame, stole second, and moved to the corner on a wild pitch. Bryce Smith drilled a line drive to right center, scoring Mabe, but the Avenging Angels would leave two runners stranded in the seventh for a loss.

Gundlach earned her ninth loss allowing 11 hits with two earned runs, one walk, striking out one. Miranda Barker took the loss for Salem earning Meredith's one run, striking out three and walking one.

Game 2
Both teams remained on the hunt in the second with each scoring two runs in the first inning. Smith and Chloe Johnson recorded a pair of RBI-singles with Mabe jumpstarting the frame with a single to right and scoring the first run.

Salem's seven and eight advanced on a pair of hits and moved to second and third for an RBI-single from Brittany Morton. Alyssa Ingle scored on a groundout to advance Salem's lead to 4-2 before Smith threw to Charley Cox at first for a third out.

Madison Hamilton kept the Avenging Angels in the mix with a sac-fly in the bottom of the frame.

A quiet third and fourth followed with a one-run fifth from Salem to extend their lead back to two. But MCSB responded with another double from Smith, scoring Cox. Smith found her way home with help from a throwing error to even the score at five.

Meredith's defense held the only Salem runner at first in the sxith and rallied in the bottom of the inning. Johnson led off with a walk, and Cecilia Coleman checked off her assisgnment with a sacrifice. Alyssa Drake moved the runner to third, and Anna Goldman's single drove in both runners to put Meredith in the lead. Hamilton added a third run with an RBI-single, and the Angels' defense finished off the first three Salem batters in the seventh for the split.

Gundlach relieved Payton Aldridge in the third to record her sixth career win, and Misty Thompson earned Salem's loss.

Meredith hosts USA South rival Pfeiffer University Wednesday in a midweek doubleheader before traveling to Methodist Saturday. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.