MOBILE, ALA. – The Coastal Carolina softball team's historic run in the 2022 Sun Belt Championship Tournament came to an end as the Chanticleers fell to No. 3 seed Texas State, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at Jaguar Field in the semifinal game.
The Chanticleers made Sun Belt history becoming the lowest-ever seed to play on the final day of the Sun Belt Championship. Notably, head coach
Kelley Green tallied her 400th victory as the head coach of Coastal Carolina softball in the Chanticleers' 3-2 victory over Troy on Friday.
CCU finished the season 25-29 overall and 7-17 in Sun Belt Conference play. With the win, Texas State improved to 38-18 overall and advanced to face No. 1 seed Louisiana in the championship game.
Texas State's Hannah Earls drew a lead-off walk to start the first inning before stealing second base. However, two batters later she was thrown out attempting to steal third to end the inning.
In the bottom of the first, Makiya Thomas singled over the head of the Bobcats' first baseman to start the Chanticleers' first at-bat before three straight outs would leave her stranded.
In the top of the second, Caitlyn Rogers reached base on a Chanticleer error before the Bobcats would go down in order for the second time to keep the game scoreless.
Abby Jankay blasted her third home run of the Sun Belt Softball Championship Tournament to the left of the viewing deck located in center field to give Coastal a 1-0 lead after two innings of play. Notably, all three of Jankay's hits in the tournament were home runs.
The Chanticleer's second error of the day allowed Kylie George to reach base before the senior stole second base. Ciara Trahan singled to center field before she advanced to third on a throwing error. George crossed home to make the score 1-1 before Sara Vanderford doubled through the right side to make the score 2-1 midway through the third inning.
After Coastal went down in order for the first time in the bottom of the third inning,
Keirstin Roose rocketed a lead-off single to center field in the fourth frame. However,
Maddy Jennings grounded into a double-play to squash the scoring chance as the Chants then followed with another ground out that would end the inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Earls drew her second base on balls of the day before the sophomore stole second base. A Vanderford single drove in Earls to make the score 3-1.
Thomas singled to the shortstop before turning on the wheels to outrun the throw and become CCU's fifth base runner of the day before the Chanticleers would go down in order in the bottom half of the fifth. Thomas' hit in the bottom of the sixth was her ninth of the tournament.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jankay reached base for the second time as the freshman drew a base on balls before a ground out ended the contest.
In the circle,
Kaitlin Beasley-Polko (15-11) threw her 14th complete game of the season, as the graduate student saw 7.0 innings of work, striking out three and allowing just three runs.
In her career, Beasley-Polko finished tied with Ashley Guillette as the all-time saves leader in Chanticleers history with 11 saves while also ranking second all-time in appearances (162) and strikeouts (647). The Leonardtown, Md. native, also ranked third in wins (64) and innings pitched (714.2), and eighth all-time in complete games (60).
2022 SUN BELT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Sophie Mooney, Georgia State
Kelly Horne, Troy
Victoria Ortiz, South Alabama
Makiya Thomas, Coastal Carolina
Kaitlin Beasley-Polko, Coastal Carolina
Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Sara Vanderford, Texas State
Meghan Schorman, Louisiana
Alexa Langeliers, Louisiana
2022 SUN BELT CONFERENCE MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Raina O'Neal, Louisiana
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.
