CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern went 2-0 in the final day of the CSU Low Country Invite to claim the Tourney Championship Saturday, at Buccaneer Field. The Bucs finished the weekend with a 4-0 record after a 4-1 win over UNC Wilmington and a 9-1 Championship win over Presbyterian College. With the wins, CSU improved to 11-8-1 to go along with a 7-2-1 mark at home.

Shayla Cullum was named the Tourney's most outstanding player, after posting eight hits and six RBIs to lead the team in both categories. She also had a .667 batting average, a 1.000 slugging percent, .643 on base percent and five runs scored.

Caitlin Allen was named the Tourney's most outstanding pitcher, after a 2-0 record on the weekend, including a 1.27 ERA. Allen had career numbers on the weekend, en route to a win over Presbyterian in the championship game.

Also named to the All-Tourney team from CSU were Megan Lombard and Erin Kegley. Lombard had a .571 batting average to go along with eight hits, five runs scored and three extra base hits. Kegley recorded a .538 batting average after seven hits, two RBI and a run scored.

CSU faced off with the UNC Wilmington Seahawks (1-14) in game one, holding on for a 4-1 win after 11 hits as a team. Despite the high total in hits, the Bucs struggled to put runs on the board early on in the game. CSU stranded a pair of runners on base through the first three innings, with just two hits in that time.

Kimberly Hobbs got her first start of the weekend in the circle, getting out of several tough situations while stranding nine Seahawk runners on base. Hobbs had four scoreless innings to start the game, despite six hits for UNCW in that time.

The bats finally got going for the Bucs in the bottom of the fourth, using five hits to score four, for the first runs of the game. Cullum had a lead-off single to start the inning, followed by RBI hits from Jana Matthews, Trea Steele and Melissa Adams.

After another scoreless inning in the fifth, the Seahawks scored their lone run of the game in the top of the sixth. UNCW took advantage of a CSU miscue, scoring an unearned run after three hits.

Hobbs had a one, two, three inning in the seventh, securing a 4-1 win for the Bucs. Hobbs picked up the win to improve to 3-4 on the year, after scattering 10 hits in a complete game and allowing zero earned runs. Amanda Aditays dropped to 0-5 after allowing 11 hits and four earned runs.

Game One Box

In the Championship game vs. the Presbyterian Blue Hose (8-5), CSU reached the scoreboard early and often, en route to a 9-1 win in five innings.

The Bucs posted five runs in the first inning after three hits and a Blue Hose error, to jump out to a commanding lead. Lombard had a lead-off hit to start the rally, followed by a Cullum single. After advancing the runners, Lombard and Cullum would both score on wild pitches. Matthews had the only RBI hit of the inning, using a double to send Kristin Kelleher home. CSU added two more runs, thanks to a Presbyterian throwing error to first base.

The Bucs continued to pour it on with three more runs in the second inning, after four hits. Back at the top of the order, Lombard had a lead-off hit for the second inning in a row. Hall and Cullum got on board with consecutive hits, with Cullum receiving a RBI. Kegley also posted a RBI thanks to a sacrifice fly, before Jessica Peters-Brock got in the mix with a RBI hit to cap off the inning and give CSU an 8-0 advantage.

The Blue Hose managed a run in the top of the third, using three consecutive hits in the inning to cut into their deficit. The Bucs bounced back with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth however, thanks to another Peters-Brock RBI hit.

Morgan Dowdy closed out the game in the top of the fifth with a one, two, three inning, to seal a 9-1 run-rule win for CSU.

Allen took home her second win of the weekend to improve to 2-0 on the year, after allowing just four hits and one earned run in four innings of work. Brittany Howell received the loss and dropped to 2-2, allowing 11 hits and seven earned runs.

Game Two Box

The Bucs will be back in action at home on Wednesday, March 10, at 2 p.m., in a double header vs. the Georgia Southern Eagles.

2010 CSU Low Country Invite All-Tournament Team

P- Caitlin Allen (Charleston Southern)
P- Leslie Hensley (Presbyterian)
C- Erin Kegley (Charleston Southern)
IF- Shayla Cullum (Charleston Southern)
IF- Megan Lombard (Charleston Southern)
IF- Taylor Staten (Presbyterian)
IF- Anne Macci (Dayton)
OF- Tera Powell (Presbyterian)
OF- Kathleen Maloof (Dayton)
OF- Laura Sykes (UNC Wilmington)

Most Outstanding Pitcher - Caitlin Allen (Charleston Southern)
Most Outstanding Player - Shayla Cullum (Charleston Southern)


Tournament Finishes

1st - Charleston Southern - (Defeated Presbyterian in Championship)

2nd - Presbyterian - (Lost to Charleston Southern in Championship)

3rd - Dayton - (Defeated UNW Wilmington in Consolation Game)

4th - UNC Wilmington - (Lost to Dayton in Consolation Game)