FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Salem softball team clinched the top seed in the East Division with a doubleheader sweep of Methodist at Price Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Spirits improved to 21-15 overall and wrapped up league play with a 12-4 record by virtue of 13-0 and 8-4 wins over MU. The Monarchs were officially eliminated from postseason play and are currently 8-30 overall. Methodist finished with a 6-10 record in the USA South.
 
The Spirits took advantage of three Methodist errors in the first inning to score three unearned runs for a 3-0 lead. Methodist had a chance to cut into its deficit in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with two outs before a swinging strikeout ended the frame.
 
Salem added four runs in the second and third innings, before tacking on a pair of runs in the fifth to complete the scoring.
 
Kayla Ogle surrendered just three hits for Salem and improved to 6-5 in the circle. She walked three and struck out five. Miranda McKoy started for MU and took the loss to fall to 4-2 on the year. She allowed seven runs (4 ER) on six hits and a walk with one strikeout.
 
Searria Fisher was 1 for 2 with a walk for MU, and Chloe Hespeler and Kelsey Smith each singled as well.
 
Jennifer Vitarelli was 3 for 3 with three runs scored. Brittany Morton was 3 for 3 with a walk, drove in two and scored four times for the Spirits.
 
In the nightcap, the Monarchs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Hespeler launched her second home run of the season over the wall in left center to bring home Carleigh Haywood.
 
The Spirits answered with five runs in the second inning go in front 5-2, and then added a single run in third for a 6-2 lead. Two more runs from Salem extended the lead to 8-2 in the sixth inning.
 
In the seventh inning, the Monarchs opened with a single from Kaitlynn Spielman then a double from Sarah Darling that put runners on second and third with nobody out. A Haywood groundout scored pinch runner Miranda McKoy from third and made it 8-3. Hespeler followed with a double to deep left center that plated another run and got MU within 8-4 before a popout and a groundout ended the game.
 
Searria Fisher (1-12) took the loss for MU, allowing six runs (2 ER) on five hits and three walks in 3.0 innings. Brittany Jones pitched the final 4.0 innings, yielding two runs (0 ER) on five hits with three strikeouts. Miranda Barker (10-4) picked up the win. She gave up four runs on 11 hits with no walks and six strikeouts in 7.0 innings.
 
Hespeler was 3 for 4 with three RBI and scored once. Morgan Faircloth was 3 for 3, and Fisher finished 2 for 3 at the dish.
 
Methodist will wrap up its 2018 campaign on Monday when it hosts Randolph-Macon in a doubleheader beginning at 3 pm.