EAGLES FALL, 7-1 AT SAINT MARY’S
MORAGA, Calif. --- Saint Mary’s Megan Galloway shut down Georgia Southern on four hits to lead the Gaels to a 7-1 win Wednesday afternoon at Cottrell Field.
SMC improves to 11-13 while GSU drops to 10-13.
Saint Mary’s put three runs on the board in the second inning. Galloway led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second and scored on an opposite field double by Jenna Smith. GSU starter Logan Free (Sandpoint, Idaho) struck out the next two batters, but the inning was extended as Kayla Aldridge reached on a passed ball. The next three batters all reached base and two were RBI hits.
After the Gaels scored another run in the third without the benefit of a hit, the Eagles responded with a run in the fourth. Freshman Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.) led off with a single and went to second on a sacrifice.
Senior Maria Laurato (New Orleans, La.) walked and senior Heather Smith (Williamson, Ga.) followed with a double off the right-centerfield fence that just missed leaving the park by inches. But Galloway escaped the inning by retiring the next two batters.
Saint Mary’s put the game away with four in the fifth and took advantage of two walks and a wild pitch. Of the team’s three hits in the inning, none left the infield.
Galloway (2-3) struck out five and walked three. Free (5-5) allowed six hits and all seven runs were earned.
Next up for the Eagles is the Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif. Play begins Friday morning (PDT) against Iowa.
Cougars Sweep Campbell
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - The College of Charleston softball swept the series with Campbell - 5-2 in Game 1 and 5-1 in Game 2 - on Wednesday at the Eakes Athletics Complex in Buies Creek, N.C., to even its record to 14-14 in the Cougars' final tune-up before Southern Conference play.
Charleston opens up SoCon play with a three-game series against Elon. The doubleheader on Mar. 23 will begin at 1 p.m., and a single game on Mar. 24 will also begin at 1 p.m.
The Camels fall to 16-16-1 on the season and will travel to Jacksonville for a doubleheader to open up Atlantic Sun play on Mar. 21.
In game one, Kristie Shifflett belted a two-run homer - her fourth of the season - down the right side to score Izemna Cabrera who walked to give the Cougars an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Campbell's Jessica Huffman scored on a passed ball before getting the walk, stealing second and getting to third on a sac bunt by Megan Paul.
Charleston extended its lead to 5-1 on a three-run homer by Jennifer Golden - her sixth of the season - over the centerfield fence in the top of sixth.
Campbell, which remained scoreless through five innings, tallied another run on solo home run from Courtney Quinn, who was 1-for-2 at the plate to lead the Camel offense.
Terri Mesko pitched a complete game to move 7-5 on the season. She gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked three. Lauren Caviness (7-8) was credited with loss. She gave up five hits, struck out five and walked one in five innings of work.
Amber Shifflett went 2-for-3 at thee plate, followed by K. Shifflett's 2-for-4 performance at the plate. K. Shifflett had two RBI with two scored. Golden, Katie Pesature and Brittany each had a hit.
Golden's sac fly scored Cabrera after she reached on a single to leadoff the first inning of Game 2.
Shayla Cullum answered with a two-out solo homerun over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the first to tie the game, 1-1.
Brittany Small's two-run triple to right center scored Golden, who reached on fielder's choice, and Pesature, who walked, followed by Kolby Schooley's RBI-single which scored Small extended Charleston's lead to 4-1 in the fourth inning.
K. Shifflet reached base on a two-out single in the top of the fifth, and Golden belted a RBI-double to center to score K. Shifflett for the 5-1 lead.
In bottom of the fifth with bases loaded and one out, Terri Mesko relieved Katie Sansouci (4-2) without allowing any runs the rest of the way for her first career save. She struck out two and walked one.
Sansouci gave up three hits, struck out three and walked one in 4 1/3 innings of work.
K. Shifflett led Charleston's offense going 2-for-4 at the plate with one run scored. Golden was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI. Cabrera, A. Shifflett, Small and Schooley each had a hit. Small also had two RBI, and Schooley batted in one.
For the Camels, Cullum, Quinn and Brittany Stanley each had a hit. Stanley (6-3) was credited with the loss. In four innings of work, she gave up five hits, struck out one and walked one.