HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Coastal Carolina softball team (31-14, 8-8 Sun Belt) took an early 1-0 lead in the series after downing the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (19-18, 3-12 Sun Belt) 4-1 on Friday in Hattiesburg, Miss.
It was a pitcher's duel in the opening five innings with
Raelee Brabham recording five-straight 1-2-3 innings while striking out five hitters and Southern Miss' Morgan Leinstock throwing 5.0-scoreless frames and recorded three strikeouts to keep the score level at 0-0.
Just three hits were recorded in the first five innings, all of which came off CCU's bat.
Abbey Montoya reached first base twice off a bunt and a single down the left-field line while
Riley Zana crushed a single of her own to shortstop.
The Chants broke the game open in the top of the sixth inning when
Keirstin Roose drilled a single up the middle and
Libby Pippin reached first base on a hit-by-pitch. Montoya then continued her perfect game when she smashed an RBI single to left field to put the Chants on the scoreboard at 1-0. The next hitter,
Diamond Williams, followed suit when she hammered a two-run double off the left-field wall to extend Coastal's lead to 3-0.
CCU notched an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning after
Maddy Jennings capitalized off
Delaney Keith's leadoff single when she hammered a sacrifice fly deep into right field to drive in one run and put Coastal up 4-0.
Southern Miss got one run back in the bottom of the seventh inning when Hannah Borden blasted a leadoff home run over the left-field wall but relief pitcher
Nicolette Picone closed the door on the Golden Eagles to secure her seventh save of the season to give CCU the 4-1 win.
Brabham (11-7) tallied her 11th win of the season pitching five 1-2-3 innings while striking out six hitters and giving up one run in her 6.0 innings of work in the circle.
The Chanticleers will return to the field tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET for game two of the series in Hattiesburg, Miss.
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.
