Late Comeback Gives Cougars Split of Doubleheader with Duke

Wednesday, March 14

Patriots Point

4:00 PM

College of Charleston

15-9

Duke

13-9

Duke

Col. of Charleston

Late Comeback Gives Cougars Split of Doubleheader with Duke

3/14/2018 10:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Mount Pleasant, S.C. – Kelly Sinclair's third hit of the game capped a three-run seventh inning that gave the College of Charleston a dramatic 9-8 win over Duke in the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader at Patriots Point. The Blue Devils took the opener by a score of 5-1.

The Cougars (16-9) saw a 6-0 lead slip away in the second game and fell behind 8-6 when Duke scored twice in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the inning, Brittany Vicary reached on an infield single and pinch hitter Madi Brown was awarded first on catcher's interference.

The runners were advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Dexlie Inman, and both came home on a passed ball that eluded Duke catcher Jazmine Moreno at the backstop. After a walk to Taylor DuPree and single by Yari Felix, Sinclair came through with a single to center to finish off the rally.

Sinclair saw her 11-game hitting streak snapped in the first game but bounced back with three hits and two RBI in the second, increasing her team-leading total in the latter category to 25. Felix had a career-high four hits and drove in two runs with a second inning double, and DuPree had five hits on the night to raise her average to .482.

The Cougars appeared on their way to an easy victory when they scored two in the first and four in the second including the Felix double and an RBI two-base hit by Sinclair. But the Blue Devils stormed back and eventually tied the game in the sixth on a two-run homer by Raine Wilson.

Duke bunched together five hits in the seventh to take the lead, but a strike from Vicary in right nailed a runner at the plate to keep it just a two-run deficit. In addition to her defensive heroics, Vicary added two hits and scored twice in the second game.

Summer Jenkins picked up the win in relief despite allowing six hits and two runs in two innings. She did strike out a pair in earning her fourth victory of the year.

The Blue Devils scored single runs in the second, third and fourth innings to take a 3-0 lead in the first game as Jenkins took the loss in a start. Charleston broke through against Duke pitcher Amelia Wiercioch in the sixth but left the bases loaded. Home runs by Jill Ferraro and Wiercioch in the seventh gave the Blue Devils two insurance tallies.

The Cougars are back in action Thursday when they open the Charleston Invitational against Eastern Illinois in a 4:00 doubleheader.