Coastal softball uses long ball to win two games on Saturday

CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina softball team totaled six home runs on the day, including three long balls from sophomore Maddy Jennings to go 2-0 on day two of the Chanticleer Showdown Saturday at St. John Stadium.

With the two wins, a 4-3 victory over Saint Joseph’s and a 10-2 victory over UAlbany, the Chanticleers improved to 12-1 overall on the season and have won four straight games.

Game 1: Coastal Carolina 4, Saint Joseph’s 3

CCU used a three-run fifth inning to take the lead and hold on for a 4-3 win over Saint Joseph’s in the Chanticleers’ first game of the day.

Leading the way at the plate for the Chants was freshman Delaney Keith (2-for-2, BB, run) with a team-high two base hits and Jennings (1-for-2, HR, BB, 2 RBIs, run) with a team-high two RBIs.

Mady Volpe (3-0) earned the win in the circle for the Chants, as the sophomore pitcher allowed just three runs, one of which was earned on three hits, two walks, and matched her career high with nine strikeouts over 6.0 innings.

The save went to Raelee Brabham (1), striking out two in a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

Neither team could get any offense going until the top of the third inning when the Hawks took a 1-0 lead with the help of two Coastal errors in the inning.

Coastal, who stranded at least one runner on base in each of the first three innings, tied the game up 1-1 in the top of the fourth on an SJU error, a sacrifice bunt, and a fielder’s choice.

After Volpe sent the Hawks down in order in the top of the fifth, the Chanticleers went back to work at the plate in the bottom half of the inning, taking the lead on a sacrifice fly by Iyanla De Jesus and then pushing it out to a three-run lead on a Jennings two-run home run to center field to put the score at 4-1.

The Hawks were able to claw back into the game with an RBI double by Payton Baxter and the help of another Coastal error to score two runs in the top of the sixth and close the gap to 4-3.

With a one-run lead, Brabham pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, striking out the final two Hawk hitters to save the 4-3 home win.

Game 2: Coastal Carolina 10, UAlbany 2

Coastal blasted five home runs, two each from Jennings and Indya Smith, to run-rule UAlbany 10-2 in six innings in the night cap.

Jennings (2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 runs) and Smith (2-for-3, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, 2 runs) had two home runs and three RBIs apiece, with Jennings’ second blast of the game a walk-off shot in the sixth. Smith’s two home runs were her first as a Chant.

De Jesus (2-0) picked up her second win of the season in the circle, holding the Great Danes to just two runs, one of which was earned, on six hits, one strikeout, and no walks.

UAlbany jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, opening the game with three consecutive bunt singles to load the bases. However, CCU was able to limit the damage, as the Great Danes scored just two runs on a fielder’s choice RBI ground out and a passed ball.

That would be the last two runs of the game for the visitors, as Coastal would score the next 10 runs to run away with the win.

CCU started the comeback with an RBI single by Keith in the bottom of the first inning to cut the UAlbany lead in half at 2-1.

After both teams stranded a runner on base over the next two innings, the Chants pulled out in front in the bottom of the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Jennings to put the home team on top 3-2.

Three batters later, Smith hit a solo shot down the right field line, which was followed by a two-run home run off the bat of Diamond Williams later in the inning to extend the Chants’ lead to 6-2 heading into the fifth inning. The home run was Williams’ first as a Chant.

CCU added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Jay Wrightsman and Abbey Montoya completed a double steal, which saw Montoya score from third and extend the lead to 7-2. Smith then belted her second home run of the game, this time a two-run shot to right field to push the home team’s lead out to 9-2 after five innings played.

Nicolette Picone, who recorded a 1-2-3 fifth inning, pitched around her own throwing error in the sixth inning, to set up the walk-off solo home run by Jennings in the bottom half of the sixth inning in the 10-2 win.

The Chanticleers will wrap up the Chanticleer Showdown with a doubleheader Sunday versus Mount St. Mary’s. Game one is set for 11:30 a.m. ET.