RALEIGH, N.C. - The Charleston Southern softball team opened the 2011 NC State Wolfpack Challenge with a 6-3 win over Maine Friday, March 11. CSU used a pair of three-run innings to down the Black Bears, and then fell to James Madison by an 11-8 score Friday night.

CSU is now 11-12 on the season, winning three out of its last four games, while Maine holds a 7-17 record. James Madison advances its record to 12-4 with the win over the Bucs.

The Bucs received six and two thirds innings of strong relief pitching from Morgan Dowdy, as the sophomore held Maine without a hit to earn her fourth win of the season. She combined with starter Kimberly Hobbs to one-hit the Black Bears. Kylie Sparks drew the loss, allowing one earned run on four hits in four innings pitched.

Stephanie Sbardella and Megan Lombard each went 2-for-4 for the Buccaneers, and Sbardella drove in two runs. Jessica Brock went 1-for-4 with a home run, driving in three runs in the top of the seventh. Ari Tedesco and Melissa Adams doubled for the Bucs.

The Buccaneers had two players reach base with one out in the top of the first inning, but a pair of flyouts derailed the inning. Maine then took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the first. Jennifer Eberhardt was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and advanced to third on a double by Kali Burnham. Eberhardt scored on an illegal pitch, and Burnham was driven in by a sacrifice fly. Dowdy then came on in relief, allowing Hilary Kane to score on a bunt. Dowdy retired the final two Black Bears to end the inning.

CSU came back to tie the ballgame at 3-3 by scoring three times in the top of the third inning. Tedesco led off with a double, and Lombard followed with a single. Kegley drove in Tedesco with a one-out single. After a Brock groundout, Sbardella plated Lombard and Jasmine Conley with a single to knot the game at three runs apiece.

While Dowdy and the CSU defense held Maine off of the bases for a majority of the rest of the game, the Bucs generated a two-out scoring chance in the top of the sixth inning. Adams hit a double with two outs, and pinch runner Lizzy Olmstead was thrown out at the plate to end the rally.

The Buccaneers took the lead for good in the top of the seventh inning. Lombard singled with one out, and moved over after Kelleher reached on an error. Jessica Brock then hit a three-run home run, her first of the season, and pushed her RBI total to 15.

A pair of Black Bears reached in the bottom of the seventh via two CSU errors with two outs. Dowdy got the final out on a grounder to first, ending the 6-3 win.

The one-hitter marks the fewest hits allowed by CSU since yielding one hit against Winthrop May 8, 2009, a 3-1 win in the Big South Tournament.

Box Score CSU 6 Maine 3

In CSU's second game of the day, James Madison scored eight runs between the fourth and fifth innings, and held off a late CSU rally in an 11-8 win.

CSU recorded eight runs on nine hits against JMU. Jana Matthews led the Bucs with a 2-for-4 performance, registering a season-high five RBI while hitting a home run. Erin Kegley also went deep, and Kimberly Braxton batted 1-for-1 with two RBI. Sbardella extended her hitting streak to a team-best nine games.

James Madison hit three home runs on the evening, registering 11 total hits. Ashley Burnham hit a home run, while Lori Botkin hit 3-for-4 with a homer. Katie Spitzer (2-for-4) added a home run.

Cara Stecher was awarded the win, allowing five runs on five hits. Brittany Jeans retired the final batter for the save. Morgan Dowdy drew the loss for CSU, falling to 4-8 on the season.

CSU took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a home run by Kegley. The Dukes answered with a single run to tie it in the bottom of the first, as Burnham hit a home run.

JMU claimed its first lead of the game at 2-1 when Spitzer hit a solo homer with one out in the second inning. The Buccaneers reclaimed the advantage by scoring four runs in the top of the third inning. With two outs and one on, Brock hit a single. Sbardella walked to load the bases. Matthews then drove in a pair with a single. Braxton came in to hit a two-RBI single for a 5-2 lead.

The Dukes scored once in the bottom of the third, and broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning. After a pair of runs scored via fielder's choice and an error, Clayton gave JMU an 8-5 lead with a three-RBI triple.

A 1-2-3 CSU fifth inning ensued, after which the Dukes added three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Botkin homered to lead off the inning, and Jasmine Butler hit a sacrifice fly for a 10-5 advantage. JMU's 11th run scored on a fielder's choice.

The Buccaneers, down to their last time at bat, had the first two batters reach in the seventh. With two outs, Matthews blasted a three-run home run to draw CSU to within three runs at 11-8. Steele then laced a double down the left field line. Following a walk by Hayes Holdsworh, Tedesco singled to load the bases for Lombard. Lombard flew out to left field, ending the game.

Box Score James Madison 11 CSU 8

CSU will complete the NC State Wolfpack Challenge with a pair of games Saturday. The Buccaneers take on Stony Brook Saturday, March 12 at 10 a.m. and follow with a noon matchup against Fairfield. After this weekend's tournament, CSU will play a doubleheader at East Carolina Tuesday, March 15, beginning at 3 p.m.