Cougars Sweep Providence

Tuesday, March 6

Patriot's Point

2 p.m.

College of Charleston

Providence

CofC softball to kick off season at Georgia tournament

3/6/2007 5:00:00 AM | Softball

By: CofCSports.com

An 8-7 come-from-behind win in extra innings in Game 2 and an 11-3 win in Game 1 gave the College of Charleston its first home doubleheader win of the season over Providence College on Tuesday afternoon at Patriots Point Field in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

The Cougars, who will resume tournament play this weekend at the Winthrop/adidas Tournament in Rock Hill, S.C., improved to 11-10 on the season, and the Friars evened their record 4-4.

Freshman Katie Sansouci (3-1), who entered the game in the top of the fourth with Charleston down 5-3, outlasted Providence for the win as she gave up four hits and two runs ? one in fifth and one in the eighth ? to earn the win in Game 2. She walked two and struck out three in 5 1/3 innings of work.

The Friars got with the board first after Rachel Bartholomew hit an RBI-double to centerfield to score Jenna Garcia who reached on a single to right field before going to second on a sac bunt from Katie Ross.

The Cougars would answer with two runs as Kristie Shifflett's RBI-triple to centerfield to score Amber Shifflett and Shannon Howard's RBI-single to score K. Shifflett before being tagged out at second.

Charleston added another run in the second when Katie Pesature scored off of Brittany Small's RBI-triple for the 3-1 lead.

Neither team scored until Providence scored four unearned runs in the fourth inning on a pair of miscues from Howard and shortstop Terri Mesko. The Friars scored a run in the fifth after Katelyn Revens, who reached on an infield single, scored on a pass ball.

After being down 6-4, the College of Charleston rallied back by adding a run in the sixth after Small was walked with bases loaded to score K. Shifflett who reached on an infield single. The Cougars would knot the game, 6-6, with two runs in the bottom of seventh to send the game to extra innings on two RBI-doubles to centerfield from Kristie Shifflett and Jennifer Golden.

The game remained tied ? 7-7 ? through eight innings as the Friars scored a run on a Garcia RBI-double to score Ross before the Cougars answered with a run to score Pesature off an RBI-single from Small.

Sansouci staved off the middle of the order for the Friars, before Charleston's Izmena Cabrera scored off a sac fly to center from K. Shifflett.

Small led the Cougar offense as she hit 2-for-2 and added three RBI. K. Shifflett followed as she went 3-for-4 at the plate and batted in three runs. A. Shifflett was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

The Friars were led by Garcia who was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Julie Fowler (0-2) got the loss.

In Game 1, the College of Charleston jumped on board early as the Cougars scored five runs off of five hits in the second inning. The Cougars would another run in the fourth for the 6-0 lead, before Providence tallied a run in the fifth.

Charleston added a pair of runs in the fifth, before answering the Friars' two runs in the sixth with three runs for the run-rule win.

K. Shifflett and Cabrera led the Cougar offense as the pair hit 2-for-4 at the plate. Shifflett had four RBI, and Cabrera scored three runs with two RBI.

Terri Mesko improved to 6-3 as she gave up seven hits and three runs in six innings of work. She struck out eight and walked five.

Providence was paced by Bartholomew who hit 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sara Surosky fell to 1-2 on the season after giving up five runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings of work.