MOBILE, ALA. – Courtesy of an
Abby Jankay two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Coastal Carolina softball team defeated Appalachian State, 3-2, in an elimination game of the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship Tournament on Thursday evening at Jaguar Field.
With the victory, CCU improved to 23-28 overall and App State's season ended with a 29-26 overall record and 10-15 in Sun Belt Conference play.
The Chanticleers remain in the elimination bracket and will face No. 2 seeded South Alabama at 2:00 p.m. ET on Friday.
App State's Emma Jones sent a lead-off single to center field followed by an Emily Parrott sacrifice bunt to advance Jones.
Kaitlin Beasley-Polko recorded her 630th career strikeout as she sat down Kayt Houston before walking Mary Pierce Barnes. Beasley-Polko would strike out the Mountaineers' final batter to end the inning.
Abbey Montoya drew a base on balls in the home half of the first inning to become the Chanticleers' first base runner of the day before stealing second base. However, the Chants would leave her stranded on second.
The Mountaineers Addie Wray hit a single past third base before stealing second in the top of the second inning. Kati Waalk blasted a double deep into center field to score Wray and make the score 1-0 in favor of App State.
Looking to tie the game up,
Madison Hudson ripped a two-out double to left-center-field in the bottom of the second inning but a Chanticleer fly out would leave her stranded.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, the Mountaineers' Wray drew a walk before Taylor Throp was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. On a wild pitch, Wray advanced to third, yet Beasley-Polko and the Chants got out of trouble again as an App State fly out would leave both runners stranded.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Hudson reached base for the second time before Jankay blasted her fourth home run of the season over the scoreboard to put the Chanticleers up 2-1.
Following Jankay's home run, lightning was spotted in the area and the two teams went into nearly a two-hour weather delay.
Payton Ebersole continued the Chanticleers' momentum following the delay, as the sophomore blasted a shot to center field which was followed by a Montoya single down the right-field line which advanced Ebersole to third. With two outs,
Riley Zana doubled off the left-center field wall to advance all runners and plate Ebersole to make the score 3-1.
In the top of the sixth, Barnes sent a lead-off double off the left-center field wall before moving up to third on a passed ball. McKenzie McCullen singled to third base before a Chanticleer error allowed her to advance and score Barnes to make the score 3-2. Wray reached on a fielder's choice as pinch-runner Clarie Carson was out on the play before a Mountaineer fly out ended the inning.
With a one-run lead in the seventh, Beasley-Polko pitched a 1-2-3 inning to pick up her 14th win of the season and keep the Chants' season alive with the 3-2 win.
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.
