ORLANDO, Fla. – Junior pitcher Alexa Datko (San Diego, Calif.) threw a complete game, three-hit shutout in the opener as the College of Charleston (6-11) split a pair of games on Day 2 of the UCF Invitational on Saturday, March 6. The Cougars defeated Harvard (1-3) 1-0 in the first game before falling 4-2 to Southern Conference foe Georgia Southern (9-6) in a rare non-conference meeting in the night cap.

The Cougars jumped ahead early as redshirt-senior second baseman Amber Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) doubled to lead off the game and eventually came around to score on a fielding error for a 1-0 lead. As it turned out, that first inning run would be all that they would need as Alexa Datko pitched a masterful game, allowing only two hits over the first three innings before setting down 12 straight Crimson batters over the next four frames.

Harvard's best chance in the late innings came in the bottom of the seventh when sophomore first baseman Whitney Shaw doubled to lead off the frame and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. A walk by senior catcher Jessica Pledger and stolen base from pinch runner Mariel Sena then put runners on second and third before senior outfielder Jennifer Francis walked to load the bases.

CofC then cut off the tying run as junior shortstop Hillary Stringer (Summerville, S.C.) rifled a throw to the plate for a force out and junior outfielder Emily Henderson, who had reached on the fielder's choice, was called out at second on runner's interference to end the game.

Datko (2-5) led the College of Charleston effort with a complete-game, three-hit shutout and struck out four batters while Harvard freshman Jessica Ferri (0-2) was the hard luck loser with a 6.1 inning outing in which she allowed only the one run and three hits.

Georgia Southern took the early lead in the second game as the Eagles scored a pair of runs in the first inning for a 2-0 lead. Senior shortstop Nina Iduate sparked the offense with a lead off single, stole second and stole home as part of a double steal for the first run. Sophomore centerfielder Marie Fogle was the other half of that double steal and she swiped third before scoring on a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Jenny Side.

The Cougars answered in the bottom of the inning as Amber Shifflett worked a lead off walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt before scoring on a single to center by senior designated hitter Kristie Shifflett (Virginia Beach, Va.) to make it 2-1. The score would stay that way over the next two innings as neither team could scratch a hit until GSU broke through with a single in the top of the fourth.

The College of Charleston topped that in the home half of the inning as Kristie Shifflett reached base on a hit-by-pitch and was pinch run for by freshman second baseman Ashton Jarrett (Hanahan, S.C.). She advanced to second on another sac bunt and scored on a single to center by sophomore third baseman Kelley Dillon (Hanahan, S.C.) to tie the game at 2-2.

It would not stay even for long however, as the Eagles broke through in the fifth. Following a pair of quick outs, Iduate laced an inside the park homerun and Fogle followed with a more traditional over the fence variety to give Georgia Southern a 4-2 lead.

The Cougars had their opportunities in the late innings as Amber Shifflett reached base on a two-out walk in the fifth and advanced to third on a double by junior outfielder Kristi Woodall (Huntersville, N.C.) but would be stranded there following a ground out.

The following inning, sophomore outfielder Katie Forbes (Odessa, Fla.) doubled with one out and advanced to third on a Dillon single before the Eagles worked their way out of the jam. They could not capitalize on their final opportunity when Amber Shifflett drew a one-out walk in the seventh but would advance no further as GSU closed out the two-run victory.

Iduate and Fogle led the attack for Georgia Southern as Iduate went 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI on her inside the park homerun and a pair of stolen bases while Fogle finished with a very similar line of 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI on a homerun and two steals. Jenny Side accounted for the only other Eagles RBI with her sac bunt. In the pitching circle, junior Megen Smith was credited with a no-decision following a four inning outing in which she allowed two hits, two runs, two walks and struck out four batters. Freshman Kaitlynn Szczpanski pitched three innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory and move to 2-0 on the season.

Kristie Shifflett and Kelley Dillon posted 1-for-3, one RBI days for the College of Charleston while Woodall and Forbes each added a double. Additionally, Amber Shifflett drew three walks on the day, tying for the third most in a single game in program history. Senior pitcher Terri Mesko (McDonough, Ga.) took the complete game loss to drop to 2-5 on the season.

The Cougars wrap up the tournament with a 9 a.m. game with Big East member Providence before going on break until March 14 when they will host Coastal Carolina in a double-header.

NOTES
The meeting between Harvard and the College of Charleston was the first in program history … Amber Shifflett became the 25th player in Cougars history to draw three walks in a game.