Statesboro, Ga. -- The College of Charleston edged Georgia Southern 3-2 in 10 innings in game one and 6-3 in game two in a Southern Conference softball doubleheader at Eagles Field Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Cougars' record improves to 19-22 overall and 5-0 in league play. The Eagles fall to 20-21 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
In game one, GSU opened the scoring with two runs in the third inning. Catcher Jenny Side hit a two-run homer to left, scoring Nina Iduate in the process.
Charleston would respond in the fourth and tie the game at two runs a piece. Shannon Howard singled up the middle and reached third after Kristie Shifflett walked and a single by Katie Nutaitis. Brittany Small reached first on a fielder's choice sending Howard home and putting the Cougars on the board. Terri Mesko singled through the right side to score Shifflett.
The next five innings would be a defensive battle with a combined 14 runners left on base. In the top of the 10th, CofC pushed ahead of the Eagles with a run scored by Samantha Kubinski off a wild pitch.
Mesko (8-11) pitched 10 innings for Charleston. The McDonough, Ga., native struck out 11 batters through 45 at-bats. She allowed 13 hits with zero earned runs. Melissa Laliberte (8-7) pitched a complete game striking out two Cougar batters and allowing 10 hits in 39 at-bats.
The Cougars scored five runs in three innings and added their sixth and final run in the top of the sixth to top GSU in the nightcap. Nutaitis doubled down the left side with one out in the second inning. Mesko sent a single to right-centerfield to score Nutaitis.
Charleston added four more runs in the third and fourth inning. Howard scored in both innings, while Shifflett and Kristi Woodall scored runs in the third.
Junior Tiffany Harmon put the game out of reach for the Eagles when she opened the sixth inning with a homer over the right field fence. The homerun was the first of her collegiate career.
Howard (10-9) pitched seven innings in game two. She struck out four batters in 30 at-bats. Kristan Glover (2-6) allowed four hits in 10 at-bats. Megen Smith pitched five innings in relief, striking out four batters.
Nutaitis led the Cougar offense on the afternoon. The freshman utility player went 6-for8 (.750). She hit two doubles and three RBI and scored one run.
The series concluded Sunday at 1 p.m. with a single game at Eagles Field.
