Softball Splits Games at JU/Best Western Invitational
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JACKSONVILLE, FLA. -- Coastal Carolina's softball team split its games on day two of the JU/Best Western Invitational Saturday, Feb. 9 at the JU Softball Complex. The Lady Chanticleers (1-3) defeated UNC Greensboro (1-3) 2-1 in the first game, while falling to Jacksonville (2-2) 11-7.
Against UNC Greensboro, the Lady Chants took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when junior Brittany Birnbaum's (Chino, Calif./Ayala) single drove in classmate Kelsey Riffel (Wichita, Kan./Maize). CCU held the advantage until the Spartans evened the game at one in the top of the fifth. Whitney Sirois started the inning with a lead-off single. Laura Olenderski was brought in to pinch-run for Sirois and went on to steal second. Plenderski advanced to third off a sacrifice bunt and eventually scored off a Kristen Gabel single.
Coastal Carolina responded in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore Laicole Walker (Wichita, Kan./Wichita Collegiate School) made it on base after being hit by a pitch. She advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt by Birnbaum and then to third as senior Allison Cantrell (McDonough, Ga./Eagle's Landing) grounded out. CCU had runners on the corners when freshman Ashley Pisone (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area) was walked. However, a passed ball thrown by UNC Greensboro's Amber Harrell allowed Walker to score the game-winner.
Sophomore Ashley Frederick (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) earned her first win of the season after two innings of work, tallying one strikeout and not allowing a run. Harrell picked up the loss after throwing 6.2 innings, allowing three hits and two runs.
Junior Verity Long-Droppert (Claremont, Australia/Shenton (Western Australia), sophomore Mecaela Ballard (Groves, Texas/Port Neches Groves (Galveston JC) and Birnbaum each had one hit against the Spartans.
During the second game, CCU gave up four unearned runs in the top of the first as Jacksonville went through its batting order. However, the Lady Chants scored three unearned runs of the their own in the bottom half of the inning as Pisone, Cantrell and Long-Droppert each crossed home plate to make it a 4-3 game in favor of the Dolphins.
CCU took a 5-4 lead in the second as Walker and sophomore Alicia Irwin (Salina, Kan./Salina South) scored a pair of unearned runs. Walker and Irwin were on second and third, respectively, when Cantrell hit a fly ball to Kayla Ouellet. Although Ouellet made the catch, she attempted to make the throw to home plate, but her throw ended up in Jacksonville's dugout, which allowed Walker and Irwin to score.
Jacksonville regained the lead with a two-run third inning, but CCU quickly tied the game at six as Riffel scored off a Walker single in the bottom of the third.
However, that would be as close as the Lady Chants could get as the Dolphins scored five unanswered runs, including four in the sixth.
Shannon Jensen had the win after pitching five innings and allowing two runs and three hits, while striking out five. Frederick picked up the loss after allowing 11 runs off 17 hits in six innings.
Both Walker and Irwin registered two hits against the Dolphins. Walker was 2-for-4 and scored two runs, while Irwin was 2-for-3 and scored a run.
Coastal ends the JU/Best Western Invitational Sunday, Feb. 10 facing UNC Greensboro at 11:15 a.m., and host Jacksonville at 1:30 p.m.
