CONWAY, S.C. -- Coastal Carolina's softball team split its two games Sunday, Feb. 17 as the Lady Chanticleers fell to Maryland 3-0, but rallied for a 7-6 victory over Elon at the CCU Softball Field.

Coastal Carolina (3-7) and Maryland (6-1) remained scoreless until the Terrapins tallied three runs in the top of the seventh. Brittany Bessho hit a lead-off home run to center field, while Krista Gould hit a two-RBI single to right field that scored Whitney Reigel and Alex Schultz.

Maryland's Meredith Nelles pitched the complete game for the win. She allowed two hits and struck out nine. Sophomore Ashley Frederick (Lusby, Md./Paxtuent) had the loss. She pitched all seven innings and allowed three runs, one of which was earned, off five hits. Frederick threw five strikeouts.

Senior Allison Cantrell (McDonough, Ga./Eagle's Landing) and sophomore Mecaela Ballard (Groves, Texas/Port Neches Groves (Galveston JC)) each had a hit for the Lady Chants, going 1-for-3 and 1-for-2 from the plate, respectively.

In CCU's second game, Elon held an early 4-0 advantage in the top of the second. Brandi Jones had a two-run home run to center field, while Patti Weber and Debbie Zeigler each had an RBI double. The Phoenix added two more runs in the third inning in order to take a 6-0 lead.

However, the Lady Chants rallied and scored five runs in the bottom of the third to cut Elon's lead down to one. With the bases loaded, Ballard walked and allowed freshman Ashley Pedersen (Fayetteville, Ga./Whitewater) to score. Cantrell and junior Brittany Birnbaum (Chino Hills, Calif./Ayala) hit back-to-back RBI singles that scored sophomore Laicole Walker (Wichita, Kan./Wichita Collegiate School) and Ballard. Freshman Ashley Pisone (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg) closed out the inning with a two-RBI hit that drove in Cantrell and Birnbaum.

CCU evened the game 6-6 when Pedersen scored off an RBI single by Ballard in the fifth. Then in the sixth inning, Pedersen blasted a lead-off walk-off homer to left field to give Coastal its first victory of the weekend.

Pedersen earned the win after pitching 4.0 innings and allowed no runs off two hits. She also struck out four of the 15 batters she faced. Pam DelPizzo had the loss after she threw three innings and allowed two runs, one of which was earned, off three hits.

Pedersen scored three of CCU's seven runs and was 1-for-2 from the plate.  Meanwhile, Walker registered a team-best two hits, while five Lady Chants, including Pedersen, each had one hit.

CCU returns to action next weekend for a three-game series against Hampton at the CCU Softball Field. The series begins with a doubleheader Saturday, Feb. 23 at 2 p.m.