Tuesday, May 9
Hempstead, N.Y.
2:30 PM
College of Charleston
vs
Stony Brook
Cougars Face Stony Brook to Open CAA Softball Championship
5/8/2023 1:14:00 PM | Softball
Charleston, S.C. – College of Charleston takes on Stony Brook for the first time in program history when the teams meet in the opening round of the CAA Championship tomorrow at Bill Edwards Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y.
The sixth-seeded Cougars and seventh-seeded Seawolves play at 2:30 with the winner advancing to the double elimination portion of the tournament and the loser's season coming to an end.
The other first round game will be No. 5 Towson vs. No. 8 North Carolina A&T. On Wednesday, No. 4 Elon will play the higher remaining seed following the opening round contests while host and third-seeded Hofstra plays the lower remaining seed.
Regular season champion Delaware and runner-up UNCW earned double byes and will begin their tournament action Thursday.
The Cougars finished 11-12 in the CAA, their most wins in league play since going 12-9 in 2017. Charleston has won one conference championship in its 31-year softball history, claiming the Southern Conference Tournament title in 2005.
The Cougars finished their regular season by taking the series opener against UNCW, 2-0, behind a two-hit shutout from Payton Lemire. In that game, Lemire became the 11th pitcher in school history to reach 200 career strikeouts.
Malaka Belser capped an outstanding regular season with four hits, including a double and homer, and drove in four runs against the Seahawks. She brings a four-game hitting streak into the tournament, going 7-for-13 with two homers and nine RBI over that stretch.
Stony Brook earned its postseason berth by winning seven of its last eight CAA games capped by a sweep of Monmouth last weekend. The Seawolves are 25-25 overall, a record that includes a win over nationally-ranked Mississippi State during the opening weekend of the season.
College of Charleston Cougars
Record: 19-31 (11-12 CAA)
Head Coach: Tracey Lynch (second season at CofC)
Leading Hitters: Aniz Roman (.320, 31 runs, 10 2B, 7-8 SB), Karlee Hughes (.299, 27 runs, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 12-13 SB), Shealyn Starks (.281, 7 2B, 17 RBI), Malaka Belser (.268, 6 2B, 4 HR, 31 RBI)
Leader Pitchers: Caroline Conner (11 CG, 9 wins, 3 shutouts, 2.93 ERA, 99 Ks), Payton Lemire (12 CG, 6 wins, 3 shutouts, 3.30 ERA, 110 Ks)
Stony Brook Seawolves
Record: 25-25 (10-13 CAA)
Head Coach: Megan T. Bryant (626 wins in 23 seasons at Stony Brook; 970 wins in 36 seasons overall)
Leading Hitters: Alyssa Costello (.378, 28 runs, 11 2B, 7 HR, 32 RBI), Alicia Orosco (.341, 31 runs, 10 2B, 16 RBI, 9-10 SB), Ashley Jacobson (.283, 8 HR, 27 RBI), Catherine Anne Kupinski (.276, 7 2B, 6 HR, 21 RBI), Corinne Badger (.275, 30 runs, 14 HR, 32 RBI)
Leader Pitchers: Mia Haynes (15-8, 3.49 ERA, 14 CG, 5 shutouts, 87 Ks), Ashton Melaas (9-13, 3.52 ERA, 10 CG, 3 shutouts, 71 Ks)
The sixth-seeded Cougars and seventh-seeded Seawolves play at 2:30 with the winner advancing to the double elimination portion of the tournament and the loser's season coming to an end.
The other first round game will be No. 5 Towson vs. No. 8 North Carolina A&T. On Wednesday, No. 4 Elon will play the higher remaining seed following the opening round contests while host and third-seeded Hofstra plays the lower remaining seed.
Regular season champion Delaware and runner-up UNCW earned double byes and will begin their tournament action Thursday.
The Cougars finished 11-12 in the CAA, their most wins in league play since going 12-9 in 2017. Charleston has won one conference championship in its 31-year softball history, claiming the Southern Conference Tournament title in 2005.
The Cougars finished their regular season by taking the series opener against UNCW, 2-0, behind a two-hit shutout from Payton Lemire. In that game, Lemire became the 11th pitcher in school history to reach 200 career strikeouts.
Malaka Belser capped an outstanding regular season with four hits, including a double and homer, and drove in four runs against the Seahawks. She brings a four-game hitting streak into the tournament, going 7-for-13 with two homers and nine RBI over that stretch.
Stony Brook earned its postseason berth by winning seven of its last eight CAA games capped by a sweep of Monmouth last weekend. The Seawolves are 25-25 overall, a record that includes a win over nationally-ranked Mississippi State during the opening weekend of the season.
College of Charleston Cougars
Record: 19-31 (11-12 CAA)
Head Coach: Tracey Lynch (second season at CofC)
Leading Hitters: Aniz Roman (.320, 31 runs, 10 2B, 7-8 SB), Karlee Hughes (.299, 27 runs, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 12-13 SB), Shealyn Starks (.281, 7 2B, 17 RBI), Malaka Belser (.268, 6 2B, 4 HR, 31 RBI)
Leader Pitchers: Caroline Conner (11 CG, 9 wins, 3 shutouts, 2.93 ERA, 99 Ks), Payton Lemire (12 CG, 6 wins, 3 shutouts, 3.30 ERA, 110 Ks)
Stony Brook Seawolves
Record: 25-25 (10-13 CAA)
Head Coach: Megan T. Bryant (626 wins in 23 seasons at Stony Brook; 970 wins in 36 seasons overall)
Leading Hitters: Alyssa Costello (.378, 28 runs, 11 2B, 7 HR, 32 RBI), Alicia Orosco (.341, 31 runs, 10 2B, 16 RBI, 9-10 SB), Ashley Jacobson (.283, 8 HR, 27 RBI), Catherine Anne Kupinski (.276, 7 2B, 6 HR, 21 RBI), Corinne Badger (.275, 30 runs, 14 HR, 32 RBI)
Leader Pitchers: Mia Haynes (15-8, 3.49 ERA, 14 CG, 5 shutouts, 87 Ks), Ashton Melaas (9-13, 3.52 ERA, 10 CG, 3 shutouts, 71 Ks)
Players Mentioned
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