Sunday, February 20
Patriots Point
12:30 PM
College of Charleston
3-7
9
vs
1
Holy Cross
1-4
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Holy Cross
0
0
1
0
0
1
3
0
Col. of Charleston
0
0
2
0
7
9
12
0
Huge Fifth Inning Carries Cougars Past Crusaders
2/20/2022 3:42:00 PM | Softball
Box Score
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston erupted for seven runs on seven hits in the fifth inning to defeat Holy Cross, 9-1, in the final game of the Charleston Invitational at Patriots Point.
McKenna Kelly was the beneficiary of the outburst, earning her first career win by limiting the Crusaders to three hits in five innings. The sophomore retired the side in order in the first and fifth and was able to work out of a bases loaded jam in the second.
Leading 2-1 entering the bottom of the fifth, the offensive uprising began with back-to-back RBI doubles from Jenna Helberg and Payton Wade. After a Chloe Valdez single, Malaka Belser came through in a pinch-hitting role with a two-run double to up the lead to five.
Charleston then got three consecutive two-out RBI hits from Kayla Gutierrez, Mia Dittoe and Jenna Carter to end the game. Dittoe's hit was a triple to right, the fourth extra base hit of the inning for the Cougars.
Wade also had a two-run double in the third to put Charleston in front and finished with three hits on the day to tie her career high for the second time this season. Carter had the first three-hit game of her career.
Helberg extended her hitting streak to six games during which she is 9-for-17 with five doubles to raise her season average to .464. Belser continued to show a knack for pinch-hitting duties, recording her third hit and third and fourth RBI in that role.
Charleston remains home next weekend when they host the Cougar Classic. The four-team tournament, which also includes UConn, Appalachian State and Western Carolina, begins with the Cougars facing the Mountaineers and Huskies on Friday.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston erupted for seven runs on seven hits in the fifth inning to defeat Holy Cross, 9-1, in the final game of the Charleston Invitational at Patriots Point.
McKenna Kelly was the beneficiary of the outburst, earning her first career win by limiting the Crusaders to three hits in five innings. The sophomore retired the side in order in the first and fifth and was able to work out of a bases loaded jam in the second.
Leading 2-1 entering the bottom of the fifth, the offensive uprising began with back-to-back RBI doubles from Jenna Helberg and Payton Wade. After a Chloe Valdez single, Malaka Belser came through in a pinch-hitting role with a two-run double to up the lead to five.
Charleston then got three consecutive two-out RBI hits from Kayla Gutierrez, Mia Dittoe and Jenna Carter to end the game. Dittoe's hit was a triple to right, the fourth extra base hit of the inning for the Cougars.
Wade also had a two-run double in the third to put Charleston in front and finished with three hits on the day to tie her career high for the second time this season. Carter had the first three-hit game of her career.
Helberg extended her hitting streak to six games during which she is 9-for-17 with five doubles to raise her season average to .464. Belser continued to show a knack for pinch-hitting duties, recording her third hit and third and fourth RBI in that role.
Charleston remains home next weekend when they host the Cougar Classic. The four-team tournament, which also includes UConn, Appalachian State and Western Carolina, begins with the Cougars facing the Mountaineers and Huskies on Friday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kelly, McKenna (1-1)
L: Kelly Nelson (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Jessica Mott 1
RBI: Bailey Bates 1
SH: Bailey Chavez 1
SF: Bailey Bates 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jessica Mott 1
SB: Olivia Eckelman 1
Batting:
2B: Helberg, Jenna 2 ; Wade, Payton 2 ; Belser, Malaka 1
3B: Dittoe, Mia 1
RBI: Carter, Jenna 1 ; Helberg, Jenna 1 ; Wade, Payton 3 ; Belser, Malaka 2 ; Gutierrez, Kayla 1 ; Dittoe, Mia 1
SH: Dominguez, Noel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carter, Jenna 2 ; Helberg, Jenna 1 ; Carter, Kelli Anne 1 ; Wade, Payton 1 ; Valdez, Chloe 1 ; Belser, Malaka 1 ; Gutierrez, Kayla 1 ; Dittoe, Mia 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballCharleston Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. Drake (11/17/25)
Tuesday, November 18
Charleston Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. SC State (11/14/25)
Saturday, November 15
Charleston Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. Iona (11/14/25)
Saturday, November 15
Charleston Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. Charleston Southern (11/7/25)
Friday, November 07
