SALEM, Va. — Erin Ruest’s grand slam capped a six-run fourth inning and an 8-0 Salisbury win that eliminated the Wheaton from the 2004 NCAA Division III Championship. 

Following the six-run fourth, the Sea Gulls (40-7) ended the contest in the bottom of the sixth as Kareem Falcon singled in Leslie White, who led off the frame with a base hit. 

Salisbury (40-7) got the scoring started in the bottom of the second as Falcon made Wheaton starter Jackie Demling pay for loading the bases as she laced a single to left that scored Leslie White. 

After getting out of a second straight bases-loaded jam in the following frame, Demling once again found trouble as Kim Rementer was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Falcon and Fuqua each reached on fielder’s choices, and Rementer scored on an error by the Wheaton catcher Kate Malloy that advanced past the Lori Hill’s glove at third. Rosie Aley then got on via a throwing error that got by Lyon first baseman Sarah Malloy, allowing Falcon to score from third. 

With the bases loaded in the six-run fourth, Ruest (1-for-3, four RBIs) stepped up and launched a towering grand slam to right field that cleared the bases and gave the Sea Gulls the 7-0 advantage. 

Wheaton had an opportunity to get on the board in the fifth following an Amanda Dow-Allen leadoff double. She was thrown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice, however, to end the threat. Immediately after the last out was recorded, lightning strikes in the Salem area delayed the game for just over three and half hours. 

Lacey Lister continued her solid tournament showing, going five innings and allowing just six hits to pick up the win. Demling suffered the loss as she allowed eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits. 

Salisbury advances to face the winner of Sunday’s second matchup between Muskingum and Chapman in a 7:30 p.m. EDT contest.