CofC blanks Binghamton on final day of tourney, 11-0

Sunday, March 16

Patriots Point

12 p.m.

College of Charleston

Binghamton

CofC blanks Binghamton on final day of tourney, 11-0

3/16/2008 4:00:00 AM | Softball

By: CofCSports.com

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. -- Terri Mesko went 3-for-3 with four RBI and had a banner day in the circle to lead the College of Charleston softball team to an 11-0 victory over Binghamton in six innings at the CofC Classic Sunday afternoon.

With the shutout, Charleston improves to 12-21 and plays St. John's in the tournament finale'. The Bearcats fall to 2-13 after their last game of the weekend.

The Cougars' offense attacked early, scoring five runs in the top of the first. Tiffany Harmon, Shannon Howard, Brittany Small, Linzi Bereitschaft and Katie Nutaitis made it home safely to put their squad up 5-0. Harmon started off the game with a single to second. After Harmon stole second, Shannon Howard singled to left to send the run of the game in. Nutaitis and Bereitschaft walked, loading the bases for Small who singled to the shortstop for her eighth RBI of the year. With two outs Mesko ripped a triple to deep right-center for three RBI and the final three runs of the inning.

CofC added some insurance with two more runs in the third inning. Shifflett led of the inning with a walk followed by a double to left by Bereitschaft, her seventh of the season. Small took a pitch in the elbow to load the bags and bring Mesko to bat. She singled to left for the Shifflett run and to put runners on second and third. Bereitschaft as Christal Kotchman reached on a fielder's choice. The Cougars left two runners stranded at the end of the third.

Four sixth-inning runs would stretch the Charleston lead to its final 11. Mesko scored on a Bearcat error after she doubled to left and Kotchman reached on a fielder's choice, sending Mesko to third. Freshman Samantha Kubinski, having subbed in at centerfield, got her first hit of her collegiate career and an RBI as she singled and scored Kotchman. Harmon scored after a single from Alex Williams and Kubinski added the final run of the game off an error by the BU shortstop.

Despite three hits, the Bearcats couldn't get on the board and contest ended after the bottom of the sixth. Mesko led the Cougars as she went 3-for-3 with four RBI and one run scored. Harmon added three hits of her own. The Lynn Haven, Fla., native went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Kubinski, Howard, Williams, Bereitschaft and Small added the remainder of the Cougars' 11 hits.

Mesko (5-10) pitched a complete game. The sophomore from McDonough, Ga., struck out nine Bearcat batters allowing only three hits on the effort. Patty Egan (1-6) pitched three innings with one strikeout, four hits and two earned runs.

Charleston returns to action Friday, March 21, as they host Appalachian State in the first Southern Conference contest of the season.