Feb. 14, 2010

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Coastal Carolina University softball team (2-1) concluded the Palmetto State Showdown on Sunday, Feb. 14, with a pair of games. Game one saw the Chanticleers defeat Winthrop 2-0 while in game two, the Chants fell to tournament host South Carolina 11-3 in five innings.

Katelin Edwards threw her first complete game of the season for the Chants against Winthrop and held the Eagles to only one hit in the shutout. Edwards had a perfect game up until the fifth inning, where she allowed her first and only walk, as well as the lone hit for the Eagles.

Coastal Carolina got its first of 10 hits in game one from senior Mecaela Ballard in the third inning with two outs. Ballard singled to right field and advanced to second with a stolen base, her second of the season, but the Chants were unable to capitalize, stranding her on base. Ballard finished the game going 3-for-4 at the plate.

In the top of the fourth, the Chants picked up where they left off in the third after Stacy Snellings drew a walk with two outs. Olivia Williams followed Snellings with a hard-hit double to left field, putting Snellings in scoring position. Again Coastal could not bring her home, stranding another runner on base.

The Chanticleers finally scored a run in the fifth after Sarah Maples singled up the middle to drive in Alyssa Tornatore, who singled to start the inning.

The final run came in the top of the seventh with Michelle Evans earning the run-batted-in. Ballard started off the inning with a hit to right-center field and Maples advanced her to second after a sacrifice bunt. Evans brought Ballard home after singling through the right side for a base hit with one out. Coastal would load the bases, but stranded the runners on two strikeouts.

In game two against South Carolina, freshman Megan Johnson got the starting nod in the circle for her first collegiate start, but was relieved by senior pitcher Ashley Frederick after allowing six runs on seven hits. Frederick came in to pitch the remaining 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits.

The Gamecocks came out swinging hard in the first inning to give them an early seven-run lead. The Chanticleers tried to get something going of their own in the bottom of the inning after Michelle Evans doubled to bring Ballard home. South Carolina would load the bases with Chants after back-to-back walks, but Coastal was unable to capitalize, stranding the three runners.

South Carolina stayed hot into the second inning, scoring another three runs to put them ahead 10-1 and added its final run in the third for a 11-1 lead.

Coastal Carolina's Stacy Snellings drove in the final two runs of the game for the Chants on a homerun over the left field fence to bring home Jazmin Daigle.

The Chanticleers are back on the road next weekend at the Seminole Classic Feb. 19-21, hosted by Florida State. Coastal is slated to face Florida State in its first game at 12:15 p.m. on Feb. 19.