BOCA RATON, FLA. – The Coastal Carolina softball team won its fourth-straight game of the season on Friday night as the Chanticleers defeated Florida Atlantic by the score of 4-2 to open up the Florida Atlantic Tournament.

The Chanticleers tied a season-high 11 hits in the victory over the Owls. The Chants' lineup was balanced throughout the evening as it saw seven of nine batters collect at least one hit.  Seniors Makiya Thomas, Ally Clegg, Taylor Sweigart, and junior Abbey Montoya each had two CCU hits.

Coastal Carolina scored three times in the top of the third inning off FAU starter Donnie Gobourne to start the scoring for both squads.

After walks to Thomas and graduate student Kayla Rosado, senior Courtney Dean notched her ninth RBI of the year with a single into right field that scored the speedy Thomas from second base. Gobourne retired her first Chant of the inning, but the teal and bronze struck for two more runs on back-to-back singles from seniors Clegg and Sweigart and extended its lead to 3-0.

Just as CCU took a 3-0 lead in the top half of the third inning, FAU countered with a run of its own in the bottom of the third inning as Kaitlyn Cunningham led off with a single off of Coastal starter Kaitlin Beasley-Polko. Cunningham stole second in the next at-bat and then would score on a Riley Ennis' RBI single.

Coastal's one and two hitters in the batting order, Thomas and Rosado struck again in the top of the fourth to give the Chanticleers a three-run advantage for the second time in the game.

Thomas forced a two-out walk and stole second base. With the pressure on the FAU starter, Rosado roped a double the opposite way into left-center field that brought around Thomas to extend the CCU lead to 4-1.

The Owls scored their last run of the game off Beasley-Polko in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Chanticleer lead to two runs.

After Fayth Davis came up with a one-out double into left-center, the FAU outfielder came around to score on a fielding error by CCU center fielder Stavi Augur on a Maya Amm single into center field to make the score 4-2 Chanticleers.
 
The Owls wouldn't score again in the game as the Chants went to Iyanla De Jesus out of the bullpen in the top of the seventh inning. The sophomore pitched the final inning in relief to close out the game for her first career save.

Beasley-Polko picked up her fourth win of the season as she pitched six innings, allowing two runs, one earned with six strikeouts.

Sweigart extended her hitting streak to five games as she's batted .461 (6-for-13) in that span.

Gobourne drops to 1-4 on the season as she pitched four innings, allowing four runs with six walks.

Coastal returns to the diamond on Saturday as they take on Florida International at 3 p.m. ET and then #10 Kentucky at 5:30 p.m. 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 Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.