CONWAY – The Coastal Carolina softball team dropped a heartbreaker on Saturday afternoon at St. John Stadium by the score of 8-4 to the South Alabama Jaguars (15-8, 5-0 SBC). The loss drops the Chanticleers to 7-11 overall on the season and 1-4 in conference play.
Sophomore pitcher Iyanla De Jesus was in control through 6.1 innings, but the South Alabama order scored six times with two out in the top of the seventh inning to overcome a two-run Chanticleer lead.
De Jesus got designated player Shelby Sloan to fly out, but USA loaded the bases with three consecutive singles from Victoria Ortiz, Belle Wolfenden, and Meredith Keel. De Jesus retired pinch hitter Kassidy Wilcox on a strikeout for the second out of the inning but then plunked Camryn Macklemore as the Jags cut the CCU lead 4-3 as Ortiz scored on the hit-by-pitch.
South Alabama continued with station-to-station softball in the top of the seventh, with an Abby Krzyweicki RBI single that tied the game at 4-4.
Coastal Carolina went to its bullpen for Raelee Brabham, but the righty couldn't keep the Jaguars off the scoreboard. Brabham walked Kamden Kvistad on four-straight pitches, and then Kennedy Cronan knocked in three runs with a double into left field that extended her team's lead to 8-4.
Earlier in the game, seemed to fined their groove off Jaguars starter Allie Hughen
The Chanticleers took a 2-1 lead off Hughen in the third inning when senior Taylor Sweigart walked with two outs. The junior would come all the way around to score from first base on Peyton Rivas' single into left-centerfield, but a fielding error on the play by centerfielder Macenkzie Brasher allowed both runners to advance on the play.
In the fourth inning, South Alabama tied the score, 2-2, but Coastal added runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-2 advantage.
Junior shortstop Abbey Montoya homered for the third time this season in the fourth inning, and in the fifth inning after a senior Makiya Thomas' one-out double, graduate student Kayla Rosado singled in the speedy lefty to put the Chanticleers up by two runs.
Thomas led the Chants bats with a single and a double in the loss.
Jags' Kaitlyn Hughes picked up the victory and improves to 1-1 on the season. The lefty pitched three innings out of the bullpen as she allowed two hits and one run.
De Jesus drops to 1-4 on the season as she pitched 6.2 innings, allowed six hits, seven runs, six earned, with seven strikeouts in the loss.
Coastal will return to the diamond as they look to pick up the game three victory on Sunday at noon ET.
For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSoftball (Twitter), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers(Facebook) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina.
