GAINESVILLE, Fla.- The Coastal Carolina University softball team opened up its 2009 season this morning (Feb. 13) at the Lipton Invitational, hosted by the University of Florida. The Chants fell to South Alabama 12-1 in five innings.

South Alabama managed five runs in the bottom of the first inning off starter Katelin Edwards (Greer, S.C./Byrnes (Newberry)). The inning was started off by a Kelsey Volz attempted sacrifice bunt that turned into a base hit, scoring leadoff batter Christian Crocker for the first run of the contest. The Jaguars would then go on to score on two passed balls, a single and a hit batsman to jump out to the early 5-0 lead.

Jaguar batter Kait Chermonaz led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run to right center field to run and was followed by a Carolina Mendoza double. Freshman Ivy McCranie (Berrien, Ga./Nashville) then relieved Edwards with one out in the third. After a diving play by shortstop Sarah Maples (Pasadena, Texas/Deer Park) for the second out of the inning, Tara Donaldson hit a bases-clearing double to run the tally to 9-0. The Jags would add two more runs to run the score to 11-0 heading into the top of the fourth.

Senior Kelsey Riffel (Wichita, Kan./Maize) led off the top of the fourth inning with a bunt single for the Chants first hit of the contest. After a Maples strikeout, senior Brittany Birnbaum (Chino Hills, Calif./Ayala) lined a single to right to advance Riffel to third. Michelle Evans (Upland, Calif./Upland) singled to right center field to drive in Riffel for the Chants lone run of the contest.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Jags added an insurance run on a Mendoza solo home run to left field to run the score to its final of 12-1.

Edwards took the loss in her Coastal Carolina debut to fall to 0-1. South Alabama starter Beth Pilgrim improves to 2-2 in the win.

The Chants will continue action in the Lipton Invitational tonight at 7:15 p.m. against the No. 2 ranked Florida Gators.