Conway, S.C.- The Coastal Carolina softball team dropped a pair of contests this afternoon on Senior Day/Jess Dannelly Appreciation Day by the score of 8-3 in game one and 11-9 in game two, today, Sat., May 2 at Coastal Carolina University Softball Field.

 

In game one, the Lady Flames jumped out to an early lead for the second-consecutive day, with one out in the top of the first.  J'Nae Jefferson doubled to right field off of Coastal Carolina starter Katelin Edwards (Greer, S.C./Newberry College), and Kelly Strickland drew a walk to put runners on first and second. The next batter, Beth Bennett, hit a three-run homer over the right field fence to give the Lady Flames the early 3-0 lead.

 

Coastal Carolina got on the board in the bottom of the first with one swing of the bat, as Michelle Evans (Upland, Calif./Upland) crushed the Tiffani Smith two out offering over the left field fence for her fourth home run of the season. The home run cut into the Liberty advantage, making the score 3-1.

 

Following the rough first frame, Edwards went on to retired the next seven batters she faced in order before allowing a walk to Danielle Howard in the fourth, but went on to retire the next two batters on via fly out and groundout to end the inning. Smith was equally impressive in the middle innings. After allowing the long ball to Evans in the first, she retired the next nine batters in order, and fanned seven batters in a three-inning span.

 

The Chants didn't generate another hit until the fifth, as Ashley Pisone (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) singled through the left side with two outs for the second Coastal Carolina hit of the ballgame. However, she was stranded at first as Smith retired Mecaela Ballard (Groves, Texas/Galveston) on a groundout to second base.

 

After Jefferson led off the inning by grounding out to the pitcher, Liberty added another run in the sixth with one out. Kelly Strickland hit her third home run of the series over the centerfield fence to increase the Liberty advantage to 4-1. Following the blast, Bennett walked, and Danielly Howard doubled to right field to put runners on second and third, ending Edwards' outing in favor of reliever Ivy McCranie (Nashville, Ga./Berrien). Keely McMillon drove in another run for the Lady Flames on a safety squeeze, scoring Bennett to increase the advantage 5-1.

 

Smith was lifted in favor of Friday's starter Sarah Ellis in the sixth. Brittany Birnbaum (Chino Hills, Calif./Ayala) lead off her day, Senior Day, with a single through the right side. The next batter, Evans, lined a double to right field for her second hit of the ballgame, placing runners on second and third with no outs. The following batter, Stacy Snellings (Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin) walked for her Big South leading 28^th time on the year to load to bases, still with no outs. Olivia Williams (Whiteville, N.C./Greensboro College) reached base on a fielders choice up the middle to score Evans and bring the score to 5-2. Dodd reached base on a bunt single to load the bases once again, and was followed by a Maples sacrifice fly to right to score Evans and bring the score to 5-3 heading into the seventh.

 

In the seventh, Liberty put the nail in the coffin, as Strickland struck yet again, hitting her second homer of the contest and fourth of the series. With a pair of Lady Flames on base, she hit a three-run homer over the left field fence to put the game out of reach at 8-3.

 

With the loss, Edwards drops to 5-17 on the season. She threw 5.1 innings, allowing four five runs on four hits and walked three batters. McCranie, who entered in relief in the fifth, allowed a trio of runs on four hits and struck out a batter. Smith improves to 9-12, and tossed five innings of two hit ball, allowing one run and fanned eight Chants.

 

Liberty started off game two much like game one, batting around to lead off the contest. Hendrix singled to lead off, and Strickland was hit by a pitch two batters later. Bennett followed with a one out single to score Hendrix, giving the Lady Flames the early 1-0 lead. After Ashley Frederick (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) fanned Howard for the second out of the inning, Liberty went on to score seven runs on the frame, paced by a single, hit batsman, and a three of doubles. Katelin Edwards (Greer, S.C./Newberry College) relieved Frederick to record the final out of the inning.

 

Coastal Carolina was down, but not out, and began their pursuit of the lead by chipping away at the substantial advantage with a run in the bottom of the first, as Evans and Snellings registered back-to-back singles. Williams extended the inning by reaching base on an error by Strickland. Dodd followed with a bases-loaded walk by the Liberty pitcher, Ellis, to score the first Chanticleer run on the contest.

 

The Coastal Carolina bats came alive in the second, as the Chants scored a season-high seven runs on the inning, Riffel lead off the inning with a double to right, and Coastal Carolina trimmed the Liberty advantage to 8-3, as Pisone hit an opposite-field dinger over the right field fence for her fourth home run of the season. Allyson Hudson entered in relief of Ellis, and had a short outing to say the least. She walked both Ballard and Birnbaum, and then allowed an RBI single to Evans to bring the score to 8-4. Coastal Carolina loaded the bases with no outs against Tiffani Smith, and Williams singled through the right side to bring the lead to 8-5. The following batter, Dodd, doubled to right center to drive in two runs to bring the Chanticleers within one run of taking the lead. Riffel evened up the contest in her second at bat of the inning, hitting a sacrifice fly to left field to score Williams and knot the contest up at 8-8.

 

Liberty recaptured the lead in the in third inning with one out as Jenna Eatmon lined a triple to right field to put a runner on third with one out. Three pitches later, Eatmon scored on a wild pitch to give the Lady Flames the 9-8 lead.

 

Coastal Carolina stormed right back in the bottom half of the inning, as Ballard led off with a single, and moved to second on a Smith balk two pitches later. Birnbaum then moved Ballard to third with her 12^th sacrifice of the season, and Evans followed with her third hit of the contest, a double to left field to score Ballard and knot the game at 9-9.

 

Liberty took the lead yet again in the fifth, as Amber DePasquale started off the inning with a single. After Edwards fanned pinch-hitter Ashley Bensinger, but the next batter, Eatmon, doubled to right to score DePasqual from first and give Liberty the 10-9 lead. After pinch-hitter Jenna Law lined out to short, Jefferson followed with a single to center to score Eatmon and push the Liberty advantage to 11-9 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

 

In the bottom half of the inning, Coastal Carolina loaded the bases with two outs after Pisone reached on an error and Smith walked Evans and Snellings, but Smith induced a Williams groundout to escape the threat.

 

Liberty threatened to extend the lead in the seventh, but ultimately came up short. West led off the seventh with a walk. Two batters later, Hendrix singled for the third time on the day to put runners on first and second with one out, resulting in McCranie replacing Edwards. The freshman worked her way out of the jam by forcing both Jefferson and Strickland to fly out to end the inning.

 

Down two heading into the bottom of the seventh, Coastal Carolina led off with the top of their order, as Ballard sparked the inning off with a slap single to right, but that was as close as the Chanticleers would get, dropping the final home game of the season, 11-9.

 

Today's contests also marked the final home contests for Riffel and Birnbaum, as well as long-time Head Coach Jess Dannelly, who is retiring after 22 seasons at head coach. A ceremony was held at the conclusion of game one, as nearly 30 alumni from past teams returned home to their rightful place at Coastal Carolina Softball Field.

 

Coastal Carolina will next be in action Thurs., May 7 in the opening round of the Big South Championship Presented by Texas Roadhouse against the Flames, as Liberty secured the No. 3 seed in the tournament this weekend. The Chanticleers enter the tournament as the sixth seed. The two squads will face off once again in the opening round of the tournament on Thurs., May 7 in game two of the tournament at 12:30 p.m.