JACKSONVILLE, FLA. – Izzy McCluskey doubled in two runs to break an eighth inning tie, and Brittany Violette tossed eight innings of four-hit ball in relief to lead the College of Charleston to a 5-3 win over Jacksonville in the finale of the River City Leadoff, finishing off a four-game tournament sweep.
CofC defeated George Mason 8-0 earlier in the day and is 4-0 for the first time since 2004. The Cougars totaled 32 runs, 48 hits and 13 stolen bases in as many attempts while the pitching staff allowed only seven earned runs in 26 innings over the weekend.
The Cougars trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh against the host Dolphins before freshman Taylor Belfiore capped an outstanding tournament with a game-tying RBI single. In the eighth, Lexee Emanuel was placed at second in the international tiebreaker, Kelly Sinclair reached on a bunt single and Katie Padilla bunted the runners to second and third.
McCluskey, who recorded her first career RBI against Appalachian State on Saturday, hit a grounder that sneaked inside the left field line to plate Emanuel and Sinclair and give the Cougars their first lead of the game. Violette then set down the Dolphins in order in the bottom of the eighth to earn the first win of her career.
Violette came in for starter Sam Martin with nobody out in the first and surrendered an RBI single that put the Cougars in an early 2-0 hole. But the sophomore responded by giving up only three hits the rest of the way while fanning four, posting five 1-2-3 innings and retiring the final 10 batters she faced.
Belfiore had two hits and drove in three runs and finished the tournament 9 for 14 (.643) with five RBI. Two other Cougars – Jordin Jones (9 for 15, .600) and Taylor DuPree (8 for 16, .500) – had averages at or above .500 with at least 10 at bats in the four games.
"I'm really proud of how hard this team competed this weekend. That was the one goal I set for them," said head coach Linda Kalafatis. "There were certainly some players who stood out, but we were very invested as a team, and that's what propelled us the most."
CofC banged out 14 hits and scored in all but one frame against George Mason in a game that was shortened to six innings. Dana Horgan had two hits, scored three runs, drove in a pair and swiped two bases, and Jones had three hits and two RBI. The Cougars stole six bases in the contest, with McCluskey also pilfering two.
Sydney Shipley (2-0) went the first four innings and allowed two hits before freshman Izzy Berouty finished with two innings of two-hit relief. Berouty allowed only four hits in seven shutout innings in her first two college appearances.
CofC opens its home season Friday on the first day of the Wyndham Garden Cougar Classic at Patriots Point. The Cougars begin tournament play with a 7 pm game against Eastern Kentucky.
