Coastal Carolina softball secures series win over Southern Miss

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Coastal Carolina softball team (32-14, 9-8 Sun Belt) secured the Sun Belt Conference series win over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (19-19, 3-13 Sun Belt) 5-3 on Saturday in Hattiesburg, Miss.

The Chants were first to get on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning when a leadoff single by Maddy Jennings, a hit-by pitch, and a walk loaded the bases. Transfer senior Diamond Williams then stepped up to the plate and struck a two-run laser through the left side to give CCU an early 2-0 lead.

The score remained at 2-0 for the next three innings with Mady Volpe recording two 1-2-3 innings while striking out three hitters and Southern Miss’ Shelby Allen notched a three-up, three-down inning of her own and allowed two doubles off Abbey Montoya and Delaney Keith’s bat.

In the top of the sixth inning, Indya Smith and Libby Pippin were able to get on base off back-to-back walks. Montoya then continued her hot streak when she crushed an RBI single to center field to extend CCU’s lead to 3-0.

CCU scored two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning when Keirstin Roose smashed a two-run single to center field to drive in pinch runners Jay Wrightsman and Sam Miller to put Coastal up 5-0 going into the final frame.

The Golden Eagles made a strong comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh inning when Paris Ferguson picked up an RBI single to center field to make the score 5-1 and pitch hitter Lorna Agren hammered a two-run single to narrow the gap to 5-3 with zero outs on the board. However, CCU held strong to pull off a double play and a groundout to secure the series win 5-3.

Volpe (9-1) recorded five strikeouts and gave up three runs in her 6.0 innings of work to notch her ninth win of the season. Nicolette Picone picked up her eighth save of the year, giving up one hit in her 1.0 inning of work.

The Chanticleers will be back in action Sunday at 1 p.m. ET for the final game of the SBC series in Hattiesburg, Miss.