CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina softball team (23-4) was edged 8-6 in a tight battle against the North Carolina Tar Heels at St. John Stadium on Tuesday.
The Tar Heels put the Chanticleers on their back foot in the top of the first inning after Abby Settlemyre smashed a two-run home run down the right-field line to give North Carolina a 2-0 lead. The Tar Heels didn't let off the gas, as Isabela Emerling drilled a single up the middle to drive in two RBIs to put UNC up 4-0.
The Chants got one run back in the bottom of the third inning when
Diamond Williams struck a sacrifice fly to left field to push
Abbey Montoya across the plate from third base and make the score 4-1.
The Chants' bats came alive in the bottom of the fourth inning when
Delaney Keith crushed a lead-off double to left field.
Iyanla De Jesus immediately followed with a double of her own to right-center field to drive in Keith and make the score 4-2. The Chants were hungry for more when
Keirstin Roose belted the second sacrifice fly of the game to allow
Payton Ebersole to reach home and narrowed the gap to 4-3.
In the fourth inning, Coastal secured the lead for the first time when Montoya hammered her first home run of the season over the left-center field wall to put CCU out in front 5-4. The Chants utilized this momentum recording three consecutive hits, including an RBI double by
Riley Zana to extend Coastal's lead to 6-4.
The game was far from over when UNC's Alex Brown singled to center field to drive in an RBI in the top of the fifth inning to trim CCU's lead to 6-5.
The Tar Heels rose to the occasion in the top of the seventh inning when Carlie Myrtle hit an RBI single to level the score at 6-6. UNC showed no mercy after an RBI single and a groundout saw them steam ahead at 8-6, sending the Chants to the plate to try and come up with an answer in their final at-bat.
It wasn't meant to be for the Chants, when a strikeout, groundout, and fly out put an end to their hopes of victory.
Mady Volpe dropped to 7-1 with the loss and pitched 6.0 innings, allowing eight hits and four runs.
The Chanticleers will open up conference play in a three-game series versus James Madison at St. John Stadium, March 17-19.
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.
