College of Charleston
University of Alabama Birmingham
Cougar Softball Drops Two In Weekend Opener
2/20/2016 2:49:00 AM | Softball
ORLANDO, Fla. - The College of Charleston lost to Alabama-Birmingham by a score of 5-2, and lost to Stetson 4-3 in extra innings on the opening day of the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic.
“We did a lot of good things, but we are just not driving the ball; we are not getting up to bat with the confidence that this team should and could have,” CofC Head Coach Linda Kalafatis said. “We improved in the second game, but we simply didn't play well enough to win.”
Game 1: UAB 5 - Charleston 2
The Cougars dropped their first matchup of the weekend to a 2-5 UAB team that came out swinging, both figuratively and literally, managing to put up two runs in the bottom of the first inning, courtesy of a deep home run to center field.
The College retorted in the top of the third with a two run inning of their own. CofC loaded the bases with one out, and Rebecca Mueller smacked a shot to right field, allowing Dana Horgan and Taylor DuPree to make it home. Unfortunately, a coach interference call prevented Sara Garcia from also making it home, and she became the second out of the inning.
The Blazers broke the tie quickly with another run in the bottom of the third, and all but sealed the deal in the bottom of the fifth with another two-run home run. The Cougar offense, and pitching, simply could not find their collective groove and did not have an answer for the Blazers in their first game of the weekend.
Starting pitcher Sydney Shipley was pinned with the loss after she gave up three hits and three runs through four innings of work. The Cougars offense recorded five hits in the game, and struck out four times total.
Game 2: Stetson 4 - Charleston 3
The Cougar's following game turned out to be a much more competitive matchup between two old rivals. Stetson, a former TAAC opponent for The College, entered the game with a 4-2 record, and managed to take the lead quickly with a one run opening inning.
Charleston responded in the bottom of the third inning with a run of their own. Taylor DuPree brought Kelly Sinclair home from third thanks to a well-placed hit through the middle of the infield.
After two full innings of three-up-three-down softball, both teams exploded for two runs each in the sixth inning. The Hatters took the lead in the top, and the Cougars tied it back up at 3-3 after Jordin Jones hit a straight shot up the middle with the bases loaded to bring home two of her teammates.
An uneventful seventh inning lead these two teams to extra innings, where Stetson did what The College could not; get the timely hit. Stetson brought home their runner who made it to third, and the Cougars could not do the same. CofC ended the eighth inning with two at-bats where Kashmir Huckaby was at third and was unable to advance.
Tomorrow is Another Day
CofC will have to move past these losses in a hurry, as they play again quickly on Saturday, Feb. 20. Charleston opens with a rematch with Jacksonville State (3-3) at 1:15, before playing a late game at 5:45 against the undefeated, and 16th ranked Tiger's of Missouri.
