CSU Falls to CofC, 7-3, in DH Finale

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Mackenzie Maples went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs to lead College of Charleston past Charleston Southern, 7-3, in the second game of a doubleheader at Patriots Point Athletics Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

CSU won the first game of the double dip, 3-0, giving it a six-game split of its 2012 series with the cross-town rival Cougars.

After being blanked in game one, College of Charleston (30-20) jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead in game two courtesy of a two-out RBI single from Maples off CSU (29-22) starter Jennifer Giles (9-10).

The Cougars kept after it with their bats in the bottom of the second, as Amanda Lonergan smoked a double, and Lizzy Vaughn walked, to force Giles from the circle after only 1.0+ innings.

Morgan Dowdy was summoned out of the bullpen again and walked the first batter she faced, but then picked up a strike out and a fielder’s choice and appeared poised to keep the count at 1-0. Charleston had other ideas, however, plating three two-out runs to take a 4-0 advantage. Ashton Jarrett came through with a two-run single off the glove of CSU third baseman Stephanie Sbardella first, before a wild pitch scored Carly Corethell from third base.

Giles was charged with three runs on two hits, a walk, and a hit batsman in her inning of work, while recording two strikeouts.

CSU got one run back in the top of the third versus CofC starter Hope Klicker (13-8), as Courtney Konyk showcased her speed by tripling down the right field line, and then came home to touch the plate on Kristin Kelleher’s RBI groundout.

A three-hit rally produced three more runs and a 7-1 College of Charleston lead in the bottom of the fourth. Maples racked up her 2nd and 3rd RBI of the night with a two-run single, and Kelsey Hodgson then stole home for a six-run cushion when CSU catcher Ari Tedesco tried to pick off Maples at second base.

The Bucs responded with two runs off Klicker to draw within 7-3 in the top of the fifth. Kelleher recorded her second RBI of the double with a line drive double to the left-center field alleyway, and Ari Tedesco tacked on a run-scoring single with a groundball past the diving grasp of Vaughn at shortstop.

That was all CSU would muster off Klicker, however, as the left-hander put the finishing touches on the victory after allowing the three runs on seven hits while fanning four.

CSU returns home to Buccaneer Field for a crucial three-game Big South series with first-place Radford on Saturday and Sunday. A sweep would give the Bucs the conference’s regular season title. First pitch in Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. All three contests will constitute CSU’s StrikeOut Cancer days, while the program will honor its three seniors prior to the start of Sunday’s game.