College of Charleston
Coastal Carolina
Kotchman produces five RBIs in split with Coastal Carolina
4/16/2009 1:15:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Boxscore - Coastal Carolina at College of Charleston
Game 2 Boxscore - Coastal Carolina at College of Charleston
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Senior shortstop Christal Kotchman (Seminole, Fla.) went 4-for-7 with five RBIs and three runs to lead a top of the order that contributed 13 of 15 runs as the College of Charleston (14-22, 6-8) split a double-header with Coastal Carolina (12-28) in a non-conference affair Wednesday, April 15 in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The Cougars won Game 1 10-5 before falling 9-5 in the nightcap.
GAME 1
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 10, COASTAL CAROLINA 5
The top of the order led the way for the Cougars as the 1-4 hitters combined to drive in eight of Charleston's 10 runs in Game 1.
Senior shortstop Christal Kotchman (Seminole, Fla.) got the offense started early as she belted a two-run home run over the left field fence, her first of the season, to give CofC a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
The Cougars would match that production the following inning as back-to-back walks and a sacrifice bunt from senior outfielder Tiffany Harmon (Lynn Haven, Fla.) put a pair of runners in scoring position with one out. With two outs, redshirt junior second baseman Amber Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) then laced a two-RBI single up the middle to make it 4-0.
Coastal Carolina got on the board in the top of the third inning as sophomore catcher Morgan Dodd doubled home a run and freshman shortstop Sarah Maples singled to short for a second run to close to within 4-2.
The Cougars responded in the home half of the inning with double by freshman shortstop Katie Forbes (Odessa, Fla.) and an RBI triple by junior catcher Amanda Maurer (Haubstadt, Ind.) down the right field line. A double by sophomore outfielder Kristi Woodall (Huntersville, N.C.) then drove in Maurer to make it 6-2.
It would stay that way until the fifth inning when Charleston put up three runs on a sacrifice fly, a bases loaded hit-by-pitch and a bases loaded walk to push the lead to 9-2. The Chanticleers would battle back from the brink of being run-ruled as they got out of the inning on a fielders' choice before notching two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Back-to-back doubles and an RBI single narrowed the margin to 9-4.
CofC would add a run in the bottom of the inning while Coastal Carolina matched in the seventh before falling 10-5.
Senior second baseman Kelsey Riffel went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Chants while Maples and senior first baseman Brittany Birnbaum each finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Dodd and sophomore catcher Ashley Pisone had the only other RBIs for Coastal Carolina. In the pitching circle, freshman pitcher Ivy McCranie started and pitched 1.1 innings, allowing three runs, three hits and four walks to take the loss and fall to 1-5.
For Charleston Kotchman went 2-for-3 with a run and three RBIs, highlighted by her first home run of the season, while Amber Shifflett finished 1-for-3 with a career-high tying three RBIs. Maurer went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI while Harmon, Woodall and junior third baseman Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) each added an RBI. Forbes finished 1-for-3 with a career-high three runs and Woodall drew a career-best three walks. That mark ties her for the third most in program history for a single game.
Senior pitcher Shannon Howard (Carmichael, Calif.) pitched a complete game, striking out seven to earn the win and move to 4-10 on the season.
GAME 2
COASTAL CAROLINA 9, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 5
Katie Forbes made her first collegiate pitching appearance in the second game as she started and went 5.1 innings, allowing only five hits over the first five innings.
With Charleston leading 2-0 as a result of a first inning two-run single by Kristie Shifflett, Coastal Carolina exploded offensively in the sixth inning. The Chanticleers scored five runs, all off of Forbes, on five hits and an error to pull ahead 5-2.
The Cougars responded with their own rally in the bottom of the inning as a pair of walks and another sac bunt from Tiffany Harmon put two runners in scoring position with two outs. Christal Kotchman then continued her hot hitting with a two-RBI double to right which was followed by an RBI single up the middle from Amber Shifflett to tie the game at 5-5.
It would not stay tied long as Coastal once again got their runs in bunches, this time with four on three hits in the top of the seventh inning to go ahead with a commanding 9-5 lead. That would be all the Chanticleers would need as Ivy McCranie retired the side on a ground out and a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the inning to close it out and collect her second win of the season and move to 2-5.
Maples posted a 3-for-4, two run, RBI performance to lead Coastal while Kelsey Riffel had another solid game, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Freshman first baseman Stacy Snelling also went 2-for-3 with an RBI while junior outfielder Alysaa Tornatore added two RBIs. Junior outfielder Mecaela Ballard contributed two RBIs on the evening. McCranie earned the win in relief of sophomore Katelin Edwards who started and pitched 5.2 innings, allowing eight hits and five runs.
Kotchman led the Cougars with a 2-for-4, two RBI, two run performance in the night cap while Kristie Shifflett added a pair of RBIs. Her sister, Amber, went 2-for-4 with a run, RBI and stolen base. That steal was the 32nd consecutive for Shifflett dating back to March 19, 2006.
Freshman pitcher Stormie Henderson (Cottondale, Ala.) pitched one inning of relief, allowing two runs to take the loss and drop to 0-1.
The College of Charleston is back in action this weekend when they host Elon in a Southern Conference series April 18-19 at Patriots Point Stadium.
