CLEARWATER, FLA. -- Coastal Carolina's softball team dropped both of its games Friday, March 7 at the USF Under Armour Invitational by scores of 5-0 at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. The Lady Chanticleers lost the first game to Illinois-Chicago in the morning and then fell to Hofstra in the second game.

Illinois-Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Brooke Frydendall walked to start the inning and then advanced to second off a Melissa Marinacci single. Nicole Robinson hit a double to left center, which scored Frydendall.

The Flames added a pair of runs in the third. Sarah Clynes singled up the middle to begin the inning. Ashlee Ackerman laid down a bunt that moved Clynes to second and then Clynes advanced to third on a Coastal error. Alicia Abbott hit a run-scoring single through the right side that brought in Clynes and allowed Ackerman to move to third. Frydendall hit a fielder's choice that got Abbott out at second, but allowed Frydendall to score and make it a 3-0 game.

Illinois-Chicago score one run in both the fourth and the seventh. After Lauren Brennan singled to right field in the fourth inning, Brittany Dixon reached on a  fielder's choice that got Brennan out at second. A base hit by Clynes allowed Dixon to reach third, while Ackerman's hit loaded the bases. As Dixon scored on an Abbott sacrifice fly to left field to make it 4-0, Ackerman attempted to move to second, but was out on the play. An Abbott single started the seventh and Carly DeMarco entered the game to pinch run for Abbott. After Frydendall flied out to left, DeMarco stole second and then Marinacci walked. Robinson popped up the junior Verity Long-Droppert (Claremont, Australia/Shenton (Western Australia)), but Stephanie Chavez reached on a Coastal error, which allowed DeMarco to score the game's final run.

Sarah Clynes had the win after pitching four innings and allowing one hit. The loss went to freshman Michelle Evans (Upland, Calif./Upland), who pitched 3.1 innings, allowed eight hits and gave up four runs, three of which were earned.

In the second game, Coastal and Hofstra played through four scoreless innings before the Pride scored two runs in the top of the fifth.  Michele DePasquale walked and Christie Novatin pinch ran for DePasquale. Novatin moved to second off a Genevieve Haney sacrifice bunt. Erica Bernstein laid down a bunt and a Coastal error allowed both Novatin and Bernstein to score and give Hofstra the 2-0 lead.

Hofstra put the game out of reach for Coastal with a three-run seventh inning. Kris Root began the inning with base hit, but Casey Fee lined out to junior Brittany Birnbaum (Chino Hills, Calif./Ayala) at first. A Pam Dreslinski single to right field allowed Root to advance to third and score off a Coastal error, which in turn also allowed Dreslinski to advance to third. Carolann Lubach reached first on a fielder's choice as Coastal unsuccessfully tried to get Dreslinski out at home. Laura Jaxheimer had a bunt that moved Lubach to second and then Melissa Hodge hit an RBI single to center field that scored Lubach and make it a 5-0 game.

Courtney Oliver picked up the win after throwing 4.2 innings and allowing four hits, while Joanna Kralowetz had the save after coming in for the final 2.1 innings. Sophomore Ashley Frederick (Lusby, Md./Paxtuent) threw the complete seven innings as she received the loss. Frederick allowed 10 hits and five runs, one of which was earned.

Coastal returns to action Saturday, March 9 with two games at the USF Under Armour Invitational. The Lady Chants face No. 13 Baylor at 12 p.m. and then Michigan State at 2:30.