CONWAY, S.C. - The Coastal Carolina softball team (2-3) earned a come from behind victory versus the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Friday afternoon by the score of 8-6. Junior Makiya Thomas led all Coastal batters with three hits, and Sydney Guess came off the bench with a two-run single.

Coastal scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as leadoff hitter Makiya Thomas legged out an infield hit off of JSU starter Macy Bearden. Later in the inning with two outs, the freshman scored the Chanticleers' first run of the day on a mishandled throw by Jacksonville State's Sydney Wagnon. The Chants capped off the fourth inning with a two-out RBI double by junior Ally Clegg, extending the CCU lead to 2-0.

With two outs and a runner on third base in the top of the fifth inning, the Gamecocks picked up a run on an RBI bunt single by Karsen Mosley, cutting the Coastal Carolina lead in half. After Mosley moved to second base on a stolen base, Alexus Jimmerson brought her in to score with an RBI single into centerfield, tying the score at two runs apiece.

The Gamecocks would break the tie as the next batter,  Megan Fornter ended Chanticleer starter Kaitlin Beasley-Polko's day with a two-run home run over the centerfield fence, giving JSU the 4-2 lead after 4.5 innings of play.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Coastal roared right back as they picked up four runs and five hits on three Jacksonville State miscues to retake the lead, 6-4.

Four consecutive hits from Mackenzie Beyer, Peyton Rivas, Sydney Guess, and Makiya Thomas sparked the four-run fifth.  Three straight throwing errors by the Gamecocks squad turned into the Chanticleers advancing to the next base and then scoring two unearned runs.

Thomas and senior Kassidy Smith greeted the relief pitcher Jimmerson in the sixth inning with back-to-back RbI singles to give the Chants two runs for insurance, making the score 8-4.

Ally Marcano came in relief to get the final out of the fifth inning, followed it up with a scorless sixth inning, but was touched up with a two-run homer in the seventh. The senior was able to hold on for her first career win as a Chanticleer. The Middletown, N.Y., native ended her day 2.1 innings thrown, allowed two hits, two runs, and two strikeouts.

Thomas led Coastal with a team-high three hits in four at-bats. Sydney Guess came off the bench to knock in a team-best two runs.

As a team, the Chanticleers collected nine hits off Jacksonville State pitching while six of the nine CCU starters added hits in the game.

Macy Bearden took the loss (0-2) for the Gamecocks as she pitched 5.1 innings, allowing nine hits, seven runs, two earned.

Coastal Carolina will play a pair of games on Saturday versus Northern Illinois at 11:45 p.m. and Delaware State at 2:15 p.m.

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.