Wilmington, N.C.- The Coastal Carolina University softball team earned a non-conference 1-0 win in extra innings over the host the UNC Wilmington Seahawks, April 21. Coastal Carolina stranded 11 runners, but a strong pitching performance by Ashley Frederick (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) was instrumental in the win.

In the second inning, the Chanticleers (15-29) had three hits, but couldn’t push a run across to take the early lead. Morgan Dodd (Chattanooga, Tenn./Girls Preparatory) singled with one out up the middle and was followed by a Alyssa Tornatore (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) bunt single. Kelsey Riffel (Wichita, Kan./Maize) then singled to short to load the bases with one dead. However, UNCW (11-26) starter Samantha Lisowsky worked her way out of the inning, forcing the next two Coastal Carolina batters to pop out to end the inning with the bases loaded.

 

In the third, Brittany Birnbaum (Chino Hills, Calif./Ayala) led off with a walk, and was followed by a Michelle Evans (Upland, Calif./Upland) single to put runners on first and second. After a Stacy Snellings (Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin) strikeout, Sarah Maples (Pasadena, Texas/Deer Park) singled to load the bases for the second time in the contest with one out. However, Lisowsky was able to work her way out of her second bases loaded jam of the game after by forcing Dodd to pop out and Tornatore to ground out to end the frame. Through the first three innings, the Chants had stranded seven base runners.

 

Birnbaum led off the fifth with a single, and Evans followed with her second single of the contest to put runners on first and second with no outs. A Snellings sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third for Maples, who grounded out to third for the second out of the inning. Lisowsky worked her way of her third serious jam of the contest, fanning Dodd to end yet another threat, running the number of baserunners stranded to nine through five innings.  

 

Coastal Carolina starter Ashley Frederick (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) was dealing early on, retiring the first 11 batters she faced. UNCW’s first baserunner of the contest came in the fourth, as Katie Kisner drew a walk. Kelsey Eddinger broke up the no-hit bid, as she led off the bottom of the sixth with a bloop single to centerfield. Frederick was also a model of efficiency through six, throwing only 64 pitches.

 

Mecaela Ballard (Groves, Texas/Galveston) led off the away half of the seventh with a single to right center, and was moved to second by a Birnbaum sacrifice. Evans followed and was walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Snellings then struck out for the second time of the game for the second out of the inning. Maples flew out to center to end the threat, stranding Coastal Carolina’s 10^th and 11^th batters of the afternoon.

 

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Seahawk slugger Carly Hughes singled to right with one out. Frederick then forced Rachel Sawyer to line out to short. Pinch runner Brianna Lofton stole second to put the winning run on second base with two out, but Frederick was able to get Michelle Harrison to pop out to end the threat.

 

In the Coastal Carolina eighth, Maples was placed on second due to international tiebreaker rules, and was immediately moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Dodd. Lisowsky went on to fan Tornatore for the second out of the inning. However, Riffel had ice in her veins, and lined the 2-2 Lisowsky offering over UNCW second baseman Morgan Walters’ head to score Maples and give Coastal Carolina the 1-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the eighth.

 

With pinch-runner Laura Sykes placed at second in the bottom of the eighth for the Seahawks, Frederick forced Katie Houmard to ground out for the first out of the inning. After retiring Hounard, the junior hurler reverted to her dominant ways to end the contest, striking out the final two UNCW batters to end the contest and give Coastal Carolina the 1-0 victory.

Frederick improves to 6-8 in getting the complete-game, shutout victory. She allowed two hits and walked one batter while striking out seven. Lisowsky falls to 1-5 on the season, as she allowed 10 hits and walked one batter while fanning seven Chanticleers in the losing effort.

 

Coastal Carolina will have a quick turnaround, as the team returns to action tomorrow to host South Carolina at 6 p.m. at Coastal Carolina Softball Field.