MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Senior designated hitter Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) went 5-for-7 with two runs and an RBI as the College of Charleston (4-7) pounded out a combined 21 hits and earned a double-header split with Campbell (2-7-1) in non-conference softball action at Patriots Point on Saturday, February 27. CofC rallied for an 8-7 win in eight innings in the first game before falling just short at 7-5 in the nightcap.
Trailing 5-4 entering the sixth inning of Game 1, the Cougars benefited from a bunt single and an error to put runners on first and third before junior shortstop Hillary Stringer (Summerville, S.C.) singled to right field to tie the game at 5-5. Campbell went down 1-2-3 in their half of the seventh inning and CofC rallied with a pair of singles to threaten in the bottom of the inning before consecutive outs sent the game to extra innings.
The Camels broke through first in the extra frame as they scored a pair of runs in the eighth on a single by junior outfielder Lauren Stephan and took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the inning before the Cougars' responded in force in the home half of the inning. A single by junior first baseman Katie Nutaitis (Vienna, Va.)
And a double from junior shortstop Hillary Stringer (Summerville, S.C.) to lead off the inning set the stage for a CofC rally.
With one out, junior outfielder Kristi Woodall (Huntersville, N.C.) then laced a double to the left field gap that scored both runners and tied the game at 7-7. Kristie Shifflett followed that with a walk before sophomore outfielder Amanda Lonergan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) found a hole in right as she singled home the game-winning run for an 8-7 victory.
Earlier in the game, CofC took the early 1-0 lead on an RBI double from Shifflett before the Camels equaled that with a run in the second and exploded for four runs in the third to make it 5-1. The Cougars then rallied for three runs without the benefit of a hit in the fourth inning to make it 5-4 and setup Stringer's tying single.
Stephan and sophomore pitcher Christina Melton each had two RBIs in Game 1 for Campbell while junior shortstop Amanda Miller and sophomore catcher Taylor McGee each went 2-for-4 with Miller adding a run and an RBI.
For the College of Charleston, Stringer went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored while Shifflett finished 2-for-3 with a double, walk, hit-by-pitch and an RBI. Woodall added her two RBIs and Lonergan, sophomore third baseman Kelley Dillon (Hanahan, S.C.) and Nutaitis each had a run batted in. Freshman pitcher Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.) earned the victory to move to 2-1 with 5.1 innings of strong relief.
In the nightcap, the game remained scoreless until the Camels notched a third-inning run on a solo homerun to left by McGee. CofC answered in the bottom of the inning as a pair of singles put runners on for Lonergan, who then belted her second homerun of the season, a three-run blast to right, to make it 3-1 Cougars. It would be a short-lived lead, however, as Campbell scored five runs over the next two innings to take a 6-3 advantage.
The College of Charleston clawed back with a solo homerun to center by redshirt-junior catcher Katie Pesature (Brewster, N.Y.) in the fifth inning before a Dillon double down the left field line the following inning narrowed the gap to 6-5. An RBI single in the seventh and a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning by Melton then locked up the 7-5 victory for Campbell.
Junior pitcher Katie Woodcock went 1-for-1 with two key RBIs as a pinch hitter and stayed on to pitch 2.2 innings and earn the win for the Camels while Miller added two RBIs of her own. Melton, McGee and senior third baseman Robin Leathers each added a single RBI to round out the offensive performances for Campbell.
For the Cougars, Kristie Shifflett led the way as she went 3-for-4 with two runs and Woodall finished 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored on the evening. Lonergan's three RBIs on her second homerun of the season topped the offensive production for CofC while Dillon laced a pair of doubles and added an RBI.
The College of Charleston wraps up its season long 13-game home stand with a double-header against St. Bonaventure on Wednesday, March 3. First pitch of Game 1 is slated for 4 p.m.
NOTES
In a time of 2:45, Game 1 was the Cougars' longest of the season ... with two homeruns on the day, CofC now has 12 on the season and is averaging 1.10 per game.
