The Washington Demons earned fifth place by winning three out of four games this weekend at the Jesup Softball Invitational, starting things Friday by beating Gilbertville Don Bosco 4-3.

Washington grabbed the initial lead with a run in the first inning and scoring two runs in the bottom of the third after the Dons had tied the game in the top half. Don Bosco again tied the game with a pair of runs in the fifth, but the Demons scored in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off.

Unfortunately, Washington suffered a setback on Friday by falling to West Delaware 10-4. The Hawks built a 9-0 lead through the first two-and-a-half innings and never looked back.

The Demons bounced back with another comeback victory over Edgewood-Colesburg on Saturday in the consolation bracket, rallying from a 4-2 in the sixth with three runs and holding on in the seventh for a 5-4 win.

Washington finished off the weekend in the fifth-place game by knocking off Decorah 6-3. Three runs in the second erased an early 1-0 deficit, and after the Vikings tied the game up, two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth put the Demons ahead for good.

Junior Leighton Salazar had a team-best nine hits in the tournament for Washington, collecting other team highs with two doubles, four runs scored, four runs batted in and four stolen bases.

Bella Salazar had seven hits and four RBI on the weekend for the Demons, while fellow senior Ella Greiner and sophomore Colbie Greiner each came up with three hits, two runs scored and a pair driven in.

In addition to four hits at the plate, senior Halle Cuddeback pitched 10 innings during the tournament for Washington, winning one game and allowed only two earned runs on 11 hits and two walks while racking up eight strikeouts.

It would be Bella Salazar who was the Demons’ top arm this weekend, throwing 12-and-a-third innings and yielding just one earned run on six hits and one walk. Salazar collected 17 strikeouts in two victories as Washington moves to 14-5. The Demons will play again tonight in a home doubleheader against Keokuk.