JACKSONVILLE, FLA. – The College of Charleston softball team opened its 2017 season in dramatic fashion Saturday, scoring five times in the seventh to rally past George Mason 7-4, before downing Appalachian State 12-1 to complete a sweep of its first two games at the River City Leadoff.
The Cougars trailed 4-2 and were down to their final out before putting together four hits, including three doubles, to pull out the win in the first meeting between the two teams since 1996. Lexee Emanuel started the comeback with a pinch-hit double to make it 4-3, Madi Brown knotted it up with an RBI single and Yari Felix put CofC in front with a two-run double.
Taylor Belfiore joined fellow freshmen Emanuel and Felix with big games. Belfiore, batting in the cleanup spot as the designated player, had four hits and started the seventh inning rally with yet another double.
Taylor DuPree had the final run-scoring double of the uprising and finished with three hits. The rally made a winner of freshman Izzy Berouty, who worked five innings of two-hit shutout ball in relief of starter Sam Martin. Berouty struck out three and walked only one in her college debut.
Against Appalachian State, starter Sydney Shipley and reliever Brittany Violette combined on a six-hitter, and Emanuel and Dana Horgan both drove in three runs in a game shortened to five innings. Jordin Jones had four hits and scored four times, giving her a total of six hits on the day.
The Cougars led 2-1 before scoring six times in the second to blow it open. Jones had an RBI single, Emanuel and Horgan drew bases loaded walks and Katie Padilla made it 8-1 with a base hit that drove in a pair.
Shipley earned the win, allowing five hits and one unearned run while striking out five in 3.1 innings. Violette surrendered a lone single in her 1.2 innings of work.
The Cougars return to action Sunday with games against George Mason at 9:30 am and host Jacksonville at 2:30 pm.
Quoting Head Coach Linda Kalafatis
"I'm really proud of how we kept our composure and were able to come back in the final inning," said Linda Kalafatis, who earned her 100th win in four seasons at CofC. "We had some tough calls go against us that cost us runs early, but we just kept playing and made good things happen.
"We had some rookies play a big part in our wins today, including Izzy with her shut down innings in relief, Lexee's clutch hit in that final inning against George Mason, Yari with a solid two games on offense and defense and Taylor with some terrific at bats. But the best part of it all is that a lot of people contributed, and we played great team softball."
