CONWAY, S.C. – On the opening day of Sun Belt Conference play, the Coastal Carolina softball team fell to Troy, 5-2.

With the loss, the Chants dropped to 9-10 overall (0-1 SBC), while the Trojans improved to 14-5 overall (1-0 SBC).

Prior to the start of Friday's game, Kaitlin Beasley-Polko was honored for reaching two career milestones. The Leonardtown, Md., native reached 50 career wins and 500 career strikeouts earlier this season. To date, Beasley-Polko ranks fifth all-time in strikeouts with (513) and sixth all-time in wins (53).

Getting the start in the circle, Beasley-Polko sat down the first two batters of the day before allowing a single from Libby Baker, but found her rhythm and struck out the final batter of the inning in the first.

Makiya Thomas started the offense for Coastal in the bottom of the first with her lead-off double to center field. Riley Zana grounded out to the pitcher, which advanced Thomas to third. Iyanla De Jesus grounded out and left Thomas stranded.

Taylor McKinney started off the top of the second inning for Troy with a solo home run to left-center field to put Troy up 1-0.

Neither team would score in the second, but Troy tacked on another run in the top of the third as Audra Thompson drew a walk before Logan Calhoun doubled to right-center field drove home Thompson to make the score 2-0.

A Keirstin Roose walk started the momentum for Coastal in the bottom of the fourth, as Maddy Jennings was hit by a pitch to place runners on first and second. Madison Hudson sent a double down the left-field line to score both Roose and Jennings and tie the game at 2-2.

After quiet fifth and sixth innings for either side, Troy used a three-run inning in the top of the seventh to push past Coastal.

Jade Sinnes homered to center field for the Trojans to make the score 3-2. After Kelley Horne singled up the middle, Libby Baker followed with a two-run home run to make the score 5-2.
The inning continued, as Anslee Finch singled up the middle followed by a Kennedi Gaton single to left field to advance Finch. Thompson then singled to left field to advance all runners, but a double-play from the Chants ended the inning.

In the circle, Beasley-Polko (4-4) saw 6.0 innings of work and tallied a season-high nine strikeouts and allowed just three walks. Raelee Brabham also saw 1.0 inning of work in the circle.

Thomas finished the day 2-for-4 with one double, while Hudson recorded two RBIs and a double.uHuuiu

The Chants and Trojans are set for a rematch at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday.

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 at www.GoCCUsports.com.