BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Coastal Carolina’s softball team (20-17) won both games of its doubleheader over Campbell University by the scores of 6-4 and and 8-1 on Tuesday, March 28 in Buies Creek, N.C. The Lady Chants have now won 19 of their last 24 games.

Coastal struck first with a run in the first inning. Senior Meagen Johnson (Georgetown, S.C./Georgetown (Furman)) hit a two-out solo blast down the right field line for the first run of the afternoon. For Johnson it was her ninth home run of the season.

Campbell rallied with three runs in the third inning. Junior Jessica Huffman started the trouble, after two were retired, as she reached first on the fielding error from the Coastal third baseman. Huffman then stole second and moved to third on the single from junior Megan Paul. Both Paul and Huffman came in to score on the three-run home run from senior Holly Harris.

Campbell added another unearned in the fourth inning. Senior Erica Willis singled and went second on an throwing error by the CCU center fielder. She came in to score the fourth run on the two-out single up the middle from sophomore Ashley Marley.

The Lady Chanticleers exploded for five runs in the fifth inning, all after two were retired. Junior Danyelle Gerdts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) singled to the shortstop. She came into score on the double to right field from sophomore Ashley Gerdts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy). Ashley Gerdts scored the second run of the inning on the double by senior Sara Hostetler (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley). An error by the Campbell third baseman allowed junior Kristina Sheppard (Galveston, Texas/Ball) to reach and put runners on first and second. Both Ashley Gerdts and Sheppard came in to score on the dramatic three-run blast from Johnson. For Johnson it was her 10th home run of the season and second home run of the game.

Johnson (5-2) was the game one winner for CCU going five innings, surrendering all four runs, but none earned, and fanning six. Redshirt junior Christine Doyle (Rio Rico, Ariz./Immaculate Heart Academy (NJ) picked up her first save of the season, going two scoreless innings in relief.

The Lady Chants took the lead in the second game with three runs in the second inning. Senior Katey Allen (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston (Albertson)) doubled just over the head of the Campbell third base. She went to third on the bunt single from redshirt junior Glynn Tolleson (Tomball, Texas/Tomball (Radford). Danyelle Gerdts followed with an infield single to load the bases. After a strikeout, Hostetler drove in Allen and Tolleson with her single up the middle. A sacrifice foul out by Sheppard plated Danyelle Gerdts for the third run of the inning.

Insanity ensued in the Campbell second inning. Ashley Jones doubled to the right center field, after the first two Fighting Camels were retired in order. A single by Marley put runners on the corners. Huffman followed with what would of been a game-tying three run home run, but after Jones scored, Marley was called out after she removed her batting helmet while rounding third base, making Huffman's blast a run-scoring double and ending the inning.

Coastal tallied a pair of runs in the third inning, as Tolleson doubled to the right field gap with two out. Danyelle Gerdts followed with an inside-the-park home run down the right field line scoring Tolleson for the fourth and fifth runs of the game.

The Lady Chanticleers added a pair of runs to the lead in the fifth inning. Junior Kimberly Cillis (Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia) reached first on the fielding error by the Campbell third baseman. Freshman Whitney Gibson (Knoxville, Tenn./Webb School of Knoxville) pinch ran for Cillis and went to second on the Allen single. Tolleson followed with a single that would of loaded the bases, if not for the throwing error by the catcher that brought Gibson home and advanced Allen to third. An Ashley Gerdts sacrifice fly scored Allen from third for the seventh run of the game.

CCU finished off the scoring in the sixth inning as Sheppard lead off the frame with a triple. She scampered home on the Johnson single off the Campbell first baseman.

Doyle (8-6) was the game two winner for Coastal, going five innings, only surrendering an earned run, on six hits. Brittany Nelson (Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus) preserved the victory by pitching the last two inning with only a hit allowed and five strikeouts.

In the doubleheader, Johnson was 3-for-6 with two home runs and five runs-batted-in. Hostetler had a career-best four-hits in the second game, while Danyelle Gerdts scored three runs on the afternoon. Tolleson had the fourth three-hit game of her career in the second game.

Coastal's softball team next takes the field on Sunday, April 2 as the Lady Chants travel to Birmingham, Ala. to take on Birmingham-Southern in a Big South Conference doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.