Cougars Drop Pair to Northern Illinois and Iona

Friday, February 16

Patriots Point

4:45 PM

College of Charleston

4-2

Northern Illinois

1-6

Northern Illinois

Col. of Charleston

2/16/2018 11:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. – The College of Charleston nearly wiped out a six-run deficit but fell to Iona, 8-7, after dropping an earlier 5-3 decision to Northern Illinois on the second day of the Cougar Classic at Patriots Point.

Iona erased an early 2-0 deficit with a pair of runs in the fourth and six in the fifth to build an 8-2 cushion before the Cougars began their rally. Kelly Sinclair doubled in two runs and another scored on an error to make it 8-5 after five. It could have been an even bigger inning, but a line drive to short by Dexlie Inman resulted in a double play that ended the frame.

Charleston continued its comeback attempt an inning later when Taylor Belfiore ripped a two-run single through the left side, but again Iona denied the Cougars the big inning by stranding three runners on base.

Inman represented the tying run when she reached on an error to lead off the seventh and moved to second on a passed ball. One out later, pinch hitter Lexee Emanuel hit a bullet to short but was thrown out, advancing Inman to third. Relief pitcher Samantha Bender then retired Jordin Jones on a bang-bang play at first to preserve the Iona victory.

Sinclair drove in three runs and was joined by Belfiore and Yari Felix with two hits each. Charleston left 11 on base while the Gaels stranded 13.

The Cougars took a 3-2 lead over Northern Illinois in the third on a two-run homer by Jones, her first of the season and 17th of her career. The Huskies, however, struck back in the fifth with a long ball of their own, a three-run shot by Jenny Van Geertry that gave NIU its margin of victory.

As they did against Iona, Charleston threatened in its last at bat. With one out, Alondra Vicary reached on an error, and Taylor DuPree laid down a bunt single, with both runners moving up one base on an error. The Huskies denied the Cougars the tying runs when Felix and Jones both grounded out.

Charleston wraps up tournament play and will look to go 2-2 in its first home games of the season when it faces Longwood on Saturday at 4:45.