MOBILE, ALA. – The Coastal Carolina softball team eliminated both Sun Belt Conference schools in that call the state of Alabama home on Friday, as CCU held on to defeat Troy 3-2 at Jaguar Field in the second of two elimination games at the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship Tournament.
 
Riding a three-game winning streak, CCU improved to 25-28, while Troy's season ended at 31-21 overall and 15-12 in conference play with the loss. 
 
The Chanticleers will face No. 3 seed Texas State at noon ET in the semifinal game tomorrow, which will see the winner advance to take on No. 1 seed Louisiana in the championship game at 3:30 p.m. ET. 
 
For the second time today, Makiya Thomas sent a lead-off double to the wall in the first inning before Abbey Montoya laid down a bunt to advance Thomas and reach first. Riley Zana drew a base on balls to load the bases before an illegal pitch walked in Thomas to make the score 1-0. A wild pitch moved all base runners up one base and scored Montoya to make the score 2-0. 
 
Following the opening frame, it would be a pitcher's duel as neither team would be able to break the scoreline. 
 
Shae Schreckengost continued the Chants' momentum in the top of the second as the graduate student reached base on a Trojans' error. However, pinch-runner Kendall Bowman would be stranded on first. 
  
Thomas got things started again in the top of the fourth inning with a single to left field, which would be the first hit for either team since the top of the first frame. She would later steal second base but a Chanticleer fly out would leave her stranded. 
 
With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Candela Figueroa broke up Kaitlin Beasley-Polko's no-hitter as the senior singled to left-center field. Kennedi Gaton followed with a single to advance Figueroa to second. Logan Calhoun recorded the Trojans' third hit of the night as the senior singled to center field to plate Figueroa and make the score 2-1. 
 
Troy's Kelly Horne blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the contest at 2-2 before Taylor McKinney singled to right field followed by a Blake Gibson sacrifice bunt to advance McKinney to second. Audra Thompson reached on a fielder's choice as McKinney was out on the rundown before Anslee Finch grounded out to second base to end the inning. 
 
Schreckengost drew a base on balls to reach base for the second time in the top of the seventh before Payton Ebersole laid down a bunt to reach first and advance pinch-runner Kennedy Ellis to third base. Thomas sent an RBI ground out to second base which advanced all runners to make the score 3-2. 
 
The Trojans looked to break the scoreline in their final at-bat, as Calhoun singled to left field with two outs before Beasley-Polko got a fly out to end the contest and keep the Chanticleers' season alive.
 
Beasley-Polko (15-10) picked up the win, as she went the distance in holding Troy to just two runs on six hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts over 7.0 innings.
 
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.