STATESBORO, GA. - With three runs down after four innings play, the Coastal Carolina softball team fought back to beat the Georgia Southern Eagles by the score of 5-4 on Saturday afternoon as it improves to 22-5 overall and 4-1 in Sun Belt play. The Chanticleers used solo home runs in the back-to-back-to-back innings by
Taylor Sweigart,
Alexis Alvino, and
Sydney Guess to help in the victory.
The Chanticleers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second as junior
Kassidy Smith led off with a hit by pitch and extended her on base streak to 24 games. Next batter, sophomore Augur roped a single into left field but Eagle left fielder Shelby Wilson muffed the grounder allowing both Coastal runners to advance up a base. Freshman
Abbey Montoya capitalized on the error as she picked her ninth RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to score Smith. The Chants added their final run as senior
Chelsea D'Avilar laid down a sacrifice to plate Augur.
In the bottom of the second, the Eagles took a 3-2 lead after a single from Shayla Smith and a walk from Faith Shirley. Mekhia Freeman was the next Georgia Southern batter and the lefty center fielder took senior Chant starter
Ashley Guillette's 0-1 pitch over the right field fence.
Guillette allowed two hits and walk to start the bottom of the third before handing off the ball to sophomore
Kaitlin Beasley-Polko. Beasley-Polko struck out two and a induced a groundout to end the inning but the right-hander gave up a run on a wild pitch to give GSU a 4-2 lead.
The Chants threatened in the top of the fourth as they loaded the bases, but with one out but Eagle reliever Shelby Barfield worked her way out of the jam as she got pinch-hitter
Natalie David to pop up to first base and then got Alvino to fly out to left.
In the top of the fifth, Sweigart homered for the third time this season as CCU cut into the Eagles lead to make it 4-3.
Alvino then tied the game in the top of the sixth with a solo homer for her second of the season.
The Eagles on day stranded 12 base runners on the day and was a problem for them in the bottom of the sixth as they had a chance to retake the lead. Logan Harrell led off with a lead-off double, Hannah Farrell walked intentionally, and then two batters later, Alia Booth walked on six pitches. Beasley-Polko got herself out of the bases loaded situation when she got pinch hitter Layton Harrell to strike out for her sixth strike out.
In the seventh, Coastal finished the comeback when
Sydney Guess hit her second home run of her career off of Jodi Handler who was pitching in the second time in the series and on the season.
Beasley-Polko came in relief to finish the final five innings allowing four hits and no runs. The right-hander improves her earned run average on the season to 1.29 and record to 13-3.
Handler takes the loss as she falls to 1-1 giving up two hits, a run and adding one strikeout.
The two teams will be face-off in the rubber match on Sunday with first pitch is set for 12 noon.
To follow along in the series for live stats and live video, click on the links below or For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSB (twitter), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at goccusports.com
