WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The College of Charleston softball team lost a close 11-10 game to Monmouth on Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars took an early lead in the opening frame with back-to-back bases loaded walks from Halle Cannon and Shealyn Starks.

The Hawks responded in the bottom of the inning with one run before scoring three more unearned runs in the second.

Starks delivered in the top of the third with a three-run homer, her second this season and sixth of her career. Karlee Hughes then stole second and made it home on a throwing error to take a 6-4 lead. 

Aniz Roman led off the fourth inning with a triple and was driven home by Mia Dittoe's RBI bunt. Starks continued her record day at the plate with a lead-off double in the fifth and Brooke Marquez followed up with an RBI single. Roman then drove in Marquez to push the lead to 9-4.

The Hawks added another run in the fifth before exploding for five runs in the sixth behind a grand slam to regain the lead at 10-9.

Roman double to deliver the game-tying run with the Cougars down to their last out in the seventh, but the Hawks walked it off behind three hits in the bottom of the frame.

Charleston and Monmouth will face off for the series finale at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday.