College of Charleston 2, Coastal Carolina 1
College of Charleston 9, Coastal Carolina 0
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The College of Charleston softball team swept a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader with Coastal Carolina to claim 11-straight victories and 15 in their last 16 games. The Cougars outlasted the Chanticleers for a 2-1 victory in a game-one pitchers’ duel; and followed with an all-around effort which resulted in a 9-0 victory.
Hope Klicker (Walla Walla, Wash.) was dominant and pitched the Cougars through the game one pitchers’ duel. The left-handed sophomore went the distance in the contest and struck out four while limiting the Chants to two hits.
Kristy Giragosian (Charlotte, N.C.) went 2-for-3 in the first game and drove in both of CofC’s runs on a two-out, bases-loaded double in the fourth inning.
After being held to four hits in game one, the Cougar offense exploded for nine runs on eight hits to bring on the eight-run rule in the second game.
Five players combined for the eight Cougar hits, but Kelsey Hodgson (Woodstock, Ga.) led the way in going 3-for-3 with three RBIs. She blew the game open with her 14th homerun of the season and 33rd of her career in the second inning.
While the run support was certainly appreciated by game-two pitcher Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.), the right-handed senior proved it to be unnecessary as she limited the Chants to two hits and three total base runners in the complete-game shutout.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: 2, COASTAL CAROLINA: 1
Base runners were scarce in game one as both pitchers effectively worked through their opposing lineups in the early going.
Chandler Frisbie (Lawrenceville, Ga.) drove a one-out single through the left side of the infield, and then the Cougars quietly loaded the bases on an Allison Pedigo (Scottsville, Ky.) walk and hit batsman in the top of the fourth.
With two outs in the frame, Giragosian barreled a 1-2 offering to the fence in left center and Frisbie and Pedigo came around to score the first runs of the game.
A leadoff homer from Coastal’s Morgan Noad cut the deficit in half in the fifth, but that would ultimately become Coastal’s final base runner as Klicker recorded the final nine outs consecutively en route to the win and her 16th complete game of the season.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: 9, COASTAL CAROLINA: 0
The Cougar bats were much more prolific in the second game as CofC surged for its nine runs while only stranding three runners.
The Cougars loaded the bases with their first three batters of the second inning on a fielding error, hit batsmen and empty fielder’s choice in which the Chants unsuccessfully tried to get the lead runner at third base.
The Chants then looked to get out of the inning unscathed after a strikeout and force-out at the plate, but Ashton Jarrett (Hanahan, S.C.) eked out an infield single when she hit a grounder to the right side of the infield and beat all the defenders to first base which allowed the game’s first run to cross.
That quickly shifted the momentum back towards the Cougars as the next batter, Lizzy Vaughn (Placerville, Calif.), doubled down the left field line to score three runs and Hodgson crushed a ball well over the fence in right center and the score was suddenly 6-0.
CofC tacked on three more in the next inning which Carly Corthell (Reno, Nev.) led off with a double into right center field. The junior took third on a groundout and scored on a squeeze bunt executed by Vaughn which the defense couldn’t handle.
Vaughn stole second base, and two singles by Hodgson and Mackenzie Maples (Corona, Calif.) both moved runs across the plate.
After surrendering an infield single and a walk in the first, Saylors pitched the second, third and fourth innings perfectly and didn’t allow another baserunner until a fifth-inning single.
Elon 9, NC Central 1
DURHAM, N.C. – Behind a pair of home runs by center fielder Carleigh Nester, the Elon softball team earned a 9-1 road victory over North Carolina Central on Tuesday, April 23, at the Parkwood Athletic Field.
Nester had her first career multi-homer game after connecting on her seventh and eighth home runs of the year for the Phoenix (16-28). The junior was 2-for-2 at the plate with four RBI and two runs scored. Fellow junior Lauren Oldham had a season-high three RBI after going 2-for-4. Amanda Allen and Tomeka Watson also had two hits for Elon, who tallied 13 total hits against the Lady Eagles (4-40).
Chelsea White (4-13) earned the win after going 4.0 innings with one run allowed off four hits. Senior Kari Pervell pitched the remaining inning for the Phoenix in her 2013 debut after missing the majority of the season with an injury and contributed with a strikeout.
The loss went to NCCU’s London Booker (2-25), who went 3.2 innings and allowed 10 hits and eight runs, six earned.
After a scoreless opening frame, the Phoenix struck first in the top half of the second. Ali Ford, Emilie Rowand and Allen both hit one-out singles to load the bases before Caitlin O’Shea drove in Ford on a ground out to second. Oldham connected on a double down the left field line to clear the bases and gave Elon a 3-0 lead after the top half.
NCCU responded with a run of its own in the bottom. Camille Hampton led off with a double to center field and advanced to third on Markel Wylie single to third. Wylie stole second to join Hampton in scoring position and the bases were loaded after London Germ singled to third with no outs. Bianka Molina grounded to first on the next at bat as Hampton crossed home plate to pull the Lady Eagles within two, 3-1, with only one out. White was able to recover and set down the next two batters to protect the Phoenix’s lead.
In the top of the third, Watson led off with a single to left field, followed by Nester’s first home run of the day, a two-run shot into center field, to push Elon’s advantage to four, 5-1. Elon would get another runner on at second with two outs, but would leave her stranded after a pop up ended the inning.
Elon plated three more runs in the top of the fourth. Allen singled to start the inning and advanced to third after O’Shea reached on an error. Allen would eventually cross home plate on an Oldham fly out to right field. Nester added her second home run on a two-out two-run blast to left field to make the score 8-1.
The Phoenix added its final run in the top of the fifth on an Oldham single to left center to set the final score, 9-1.
Elon returns to the home confines of Hunt Softball Park to host another in-state rival in NC State tomorrow, April 24. The first pitch is scheduled at 6 p.m.
Appalachian State 6, USC Upstate 3
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Appalachian State University softball defeated Atlantic Sun conference leader, USC Upstate, 6-3 in a single non-conference game at Cyrill Stadium on Tuesday evening.
With the win the Mountaineers improve to 25-16 overall on the season, while the Spartans suffered only their eighth loss of the season, falling to 37-8 overall.
USC Upstate showed off its powerful offense immediately as leadoff hitter Meredith Barnes drove her team-high 11th home run over the center field fence to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Back-to-back line drives up the middle and a bunt single loaded the bases with no outs for Upstate before Shivaun Landeros struck out one and Alex Sohl caught a foul ball to retire the second out.
Kendall Settlemyre lined a single to the shortstop to drive in two runs for the Spartans, extending the USC Upstate lead to 3-0 before a throw from Sohl to Caroline Rogers caught Dana Landers coming from second base.
The Mountaineers responded in the bottom of the second as Meghan Smith and Ashley Seering hit back-to-back shallow singles to center field before Sohl drove a single up the middle to score Smith and bring the Apps within two of the Spartans.
Appalachian loaded the bases when Rogers was hit by a pitch with no outs before Sarah Warnock lined her second hit of the contest just over the shortstop's head, scoring two and knotting the score at 3-3.
The Apps loaded the bases for the second time in the inning when Allie Cashion drew an intentional walk. With two outs and runners on all bases Lindsay Loudermilk popped up a hit to the edge of the grass, allowing Rogers and Warnock to score and the Black and Gold to take their first lead of the game.
After no scoring for the next four innings, Loudermilk lined a deep home run over the right field wall to allow the Apps to take a three-run lead into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Loudermilk led the App State offense as she went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI, while Warnock added two hits and two RBI for the Black and Gold. The Mountaineers out-hit USC Upstate 9-7 in the contest and did not commit an error in the field for the second straight contest.
The Apps would see the leadoff hitter get on in four of the seven innings as Warnock, Smith, Heichen and Loudermilk all tallied leadoff hits.
The Spartan offense was highlighted by Settlemyre, who drove in two runs on one hit, while Barnes added one RBI on a solo home run in the first inning. Starter Hannah Alexander suffered the loss in the circle for Upstate as she pitched two innings before Ana Miller came on in relief in the top of the third to pitch five innings with six strikeouts.
Landeros (9-6) settled in after a rocky first inning to pitch seven complete innings with three strikeouts and seven hits.
App State will be back in action on Wednesday, April 24 when it returns to the High Country for a doubleheader against non-conference opponent North Carolina A&T. The doubleheader which was originally scheduled for 5 p.m. will now start at 4 p.m. at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.