CONWAY, S.C. — The Coastal Carolina softball team split day two of the Bear Down Fiesta, battling past Drake 14-13 before falling to No. 15 Arizona.
Game One – Coastal 14, Drake 13
Drake powered to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Natalee Watts crushed a grand slam to open the game.
Coastal responded with a seven-run second inning.
Clara Hudgens and
Libby Pippin ripped back-to-back RBI doubles, while
Delaney Keith and
Georgia Hood followed with back-to-back home runs.
Brie Normandin capped the inning with an RBI single to put the Chants ahead 7-4.
CCU added another run in the top of the fourth when Hood blasted her second home run of the game in as many at-bats to extend the lead to 8-4.
The Bulldogs closed the gap in the bottom of the fourth, scoring on a two-run homer and an RBI single to trim the deficit to 8-7.
Drake tied the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the fifth on a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded.
The Chants regained the lead in the top of the sixth courtesy of a Normandin RBI single to take a 9-8 advantage.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the bottom of the sixth when Drake's Anniston Reith belted a three-run home run to give the Bulldogs a 12-9 lead.
Coastal answered in the top of the seventh as Pippin launched a three-run homer to tie the game at 12-12.
The contest moved into extra innings, where
McKennah Metzger delivered in the clutch with Coastal's fifth home run of the game, pushing the Chants ahead 14-12 in the eighth.
Drake added one run in the bottom of the eighth, but Coastal held on to secure the 14-13 victory.
Game Two – Coastal 1, No. 15 Arizona 9
The Wildcats, looking to respond after a 6-4 loss to the Chants on Friday, erupted for five runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a wild pitch and a grand slam by Grace Jenkins.
Arizona extended its lead to 9-0 in the bottom of the second on a fielder's choice and a three-run homer by Sydney Stewart over the center-field wall.
Coastal threatened in the top of the fourth, loading the bases, but Arizona worked out of the jam to keep the score at 9-0.
Hood broke up the shutout in the top of the fifth with her fifth home run of the season, but the Wildcats claimed the 9-1 run-rule victory.
For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSoftball (X), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), and Facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at GoCCUSports.com.
