CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina (22-3) softball team picked up a pair of wins on day two of the Beach Chicken Brawl event on Saturday. The Chants made light work of the Houston Christian Huskies, defeating them 12-4 in five innings, and then went on to the down the Golden Griffins 5-2 in the nightcap
Game 1: Coastal Carolina 12, Houston Christian 4 (5 innings)
Houston Christian got off to a swift start in the top of the first inning after a Coastal fielding miscue allowed two runners to reach home to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead.
The Chanticleers hustled back in the bottom of the first inning when the top of the order recorded three consecutive hits.
Diamond Williams and
Riley Zana each struck singles to right field to put runners on first and second base before
Delaney Keith smashed an RBI double down the right-field line to narrow HCU's lead to 2-1.
Sophomore
Keirstin Roose earned redemption for her fielding error when she drilled a two-run single up the middle to put Coastal out in front at 3-2 at the end of the first inning.
The Chants kept the ball rolling in the bottom of the second inning when three-straight singles from
Indya Smith,
Ava Hampton, and Williams loaded the bases. A foul out by Keith to left field then pushed Smith across home plate to push the Chants out in front 4-2. The runs kept coming when
Iyanla De Jesus smashed a double to center field, driving in two RBIs to extend Coastal's lead to 6-2.
The Huskies came back in fighting spirit in the top of the third inning when Jasie Roberts struck a two-run double down the left-field line to narrow the gap to 6-4.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Chants steamed ahead when De Jesus hammered her fourth home run of the season over the center field wall to make the score 7-4.
The Chants bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning when Zana slotted a single up the middle to drive in two RBIs. Keith then delivered the knockout punch when she blasted a three-run walk-off home run over the right-field wall to give CCU the 12-4 victory in five innings.
Nicolette Picone (4-1) pitched 2.2 shutout innings while recording one strikeout to tally her fourth win in the circle.
Game 2: Coastal Carolina 5, Canisius 2
The Golden Griffins got off to a quick start in the top of the first inning when Megan Giese struck a double down the left line to drive in Saige Alfaro from second base and give Canisius a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Chanticleers mounted a comeback after two errors from the Golden Griffins allowed
Jay Wrightsman and Williams to cross home plate to push CCU out in front 2-1.
The Chants broke open the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Williams crushed a two-run cannon over the right-center field wall to make the score 4-1. Then another fielding error from the Griffins allowed
Sam Miller to cross home plate to put CCU up 5-2.
The Golden Griffins tallied one run in the top of the seventh inning when Geise hit a lead-off home run down the left line, but
Raelee Brabham remained calm in the circle and struck out the final two hitters to give Coastal the 5-2 win.
Brabham (9-1) mowed down 12 Griffins and equaled her career-high of 12 strikeouts while pitching her third complete game of the season to secure the win.
The Chanticleers will be back at St. John Stadium tomorrow where they will face Houston Christian and Ohio State at noon ET and 2:30 p.m. ET, respectively.
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 goccusports.com.
