SEMO Box
Dayton Box

NASHVILLE, TENN. – College of Charleston played two extra inning games on the opening day of the Purple & Gold Challenge, losing to Southeast Missouri State, 5-4 in 11, and Dayton, 4-2 in eight.

The Cougars overcame deficits of 1-0 and 4-2 before losing to SEMO in what is tied for the third-longest game in school history, topped only by 13-inning contests against Furman in 2006 and Elon in 2016.

Carli McCants turned in a stellar performance in the circle, allowing only seven hits and two earned runs with six strikeouts in 9.1 innings, retiring the side in order five times. Payton Lemire escaped a jam in the 10th but took the loss when a throw home from second was late in the 11th. 

Carsten Puckett slammed her first career home run to tie the game at one in the fifth. With the Cougars trailing 4-2 in the 10th, Kelli Anne Carter drew a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch tied it again before the Redhawks scored their unanswered run an inning later.

The Flyers and Cougars both scored twice in the fourth, with Charleston getting a run-scoring double from Chloe Valdez and a ground out from Mia Dittoe that plated the tying run. The RBI was the first of Valdez's career.

Dayton then came up with two runs in the eighth which the Cougars were unable to match. Lemire went the distance, giving up six hits and one earned run with three strikeouts.

Charleston plays SEMO again on Saturday at 11 a.m. and host Lipscomb at 1:30.