Bucs Set to Fend off Fighting Camels

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Southern softball team is back in action at Buccaneer Field when it plays host to Campbell for a three-game series. CSU hosts the Fighting Camels in a doubleheader Friday beginning at 2 p.m., before squaring off in the finale Saturday at 2.

GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS

Bucs Renew Big South Rivalry with Campbell
CSU looks to build off a key one-run win over Coastal Carolina on Tuesday when it welcomes Campbell to Buccaneer Field for a three-game set this weekend. The Bucs and Fighting Camels split a doubleheader in Buies Creek last season on March 22, with each side taking a 2-0 decision. CSU was led by two hits apiece from Megan Lombard and Courtney Konyk in its victory. Campbell was a charter member of the Big South from 1983-1994, before leaving to join the Atlantic Sun. The Fighting Camels enter play 20-22 and 5-4 in conference competition, 1.5 games behind Coastal for 3rd place in the league standings. Campbell was swept by North Carolina State in a doubleheader Wednesday, and dropped two out of three to Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs last weekend. Drew Peterson’s club has been led by freshman shortstop Ericka Nesbitt, who ranks 2nd in the Big South in batting average and hits, 3rd in on-base percentage, and 4th in runs scored and steals. Nesbitt was named Big South Player of the Week on March 19, and enjoyed quite a stretch last week as well by reaching base in 13 of her 17 trips to the plate.

Giles Beats Coastal in Relief for Second Time
CSU freshman right-hander Jen Giles was inserted in a pressure spot against the Chanticleers for the second time this year, and for the second time, the Jupiter, Fla. native delivered a victory for her club. Giles spun 3.0 scoreless innings of relief in the Bucs’ 1-0 win at Coastal on March 28, and picked up two clutch outs to earn her first career save in April 10th’s 4-3 win. Starter Morgan Dowdy was lifted with the tying run at third base and one out, but Giles induced a pair of groundouts around a walk to secure the win and give the Bucs sole possession of second place in the Big South. Giles has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of her last 10 appearances (5 starts) in the circle, and holds a gaudy 2.10 ERA over 40 innings during that stretch.

Kelleher Notches Third Straight 2-Hit Outing
Senior Kristin Kelleher came through with her third consecutive two-hit game with a pair os singles and an RBI in the 4-3 win over Coastal Carolina on April 10. Kelleher has now reached base in nine straight contests, and holds a .458 batting average (11-for-24) and .581 on-base percentage during that stretch. The Springfield, Va. native’s hot streak of late is a big reason why CSU’s offense has started to turn the corner, and it has also allowed her to climb to second in the Big South in OBP with a .478 clip. Her batting average is now .326, which leads the team and puts her on the verge of the league’s top-ten list (as of Monday, the 10th place hitter was batting .325).