CONWAY, S.C. - On Sunday, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleer softball team (1-3) dropped a heartbreaker in the final game of the Residence Inn Kickin' Chicken Classic to the Campbell Camels.

The Camels used a pair of two-run homers off of the Chanticleer starter Kaitlin Beasley-Polko in the top of the sixth and seventh innings to defeat the Chants by the score of 4-3.

CCU gained the 2-0 early advantage over Campbell starter Georgeanna Barefoot in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Chants would go onto score their first run of the game as junior Stavi Augur led off the home half of the fourth inning, legging out an infield single to the shortstop Alexa Pagano.  Senior Kassidy Smith followed up with her second career triple, bringing around Augur from first base. Junior Makiya Thomas got in on the action as she collected her second career hit and first career RBI with a single into centerfield, bringing in Smith to make the score 2-0 Chanticleers.

Coastal Carolina took advantage of three errors by the Camels infield in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend their lead to 3-0.
Taylor Sweigart reached first base on a softly hit ground ball that got by Campbell first baseman Kayla Fredendall. The junior then stole second and advanced over to third base on the throwing error by catcher Cassie Wancheck. The next batter Augur hit a ground ball to the Camels' second baseman Kynadi Tipler, but her errant throw got past the first baseman Fredendall into the visitors' dugout, allowing to Sweigart to score.

In the top of the sixth, after Claudia Ware singled through the left side of the infield before Tipler redeemed herself from the prior half-inning as she connected on her first home run of the season off of Beasley-Polko, cutting into the Chanticleer lead, making the score 3-2.

Just an inning later, the Camels took a 4-3 lead on a two-run homer from Kiana Jones off the CCU starter.

Peyton Rivas led-off for Coastal in the bottom of the seventh and beat out an infield single to shortstop. The freshman moved over to second base with her second steal of the day and then moved over to third base on a pass ball, giving her team a chance to tie the score with no outs.

Barefoot shut down the Chants over the final three batters of the seventh inning for her first victory of the season and improve to 1-2. The Camel pitcher picked up the complete-game win as she allowed seven hits on two earned runs with 12 strikeouts.

Beasley-Polko is still looking for her first win of the season, dropping to 0-3 in 2020. The Chant junior worked 6.1 innings, allowed five hits, gave up four earned runs while striking out five.

The Chanticleer softball team will return to action on Friday, Feb. 14, as they host the three-day, 13-game, Residence Inn Battle at the Beach at St. John Stadium

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.