CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern softball's eight-game homestand comes to a close Wednesday when it welcomes the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers for a midweek doubleheader at the CSU Softball Field. The two games are the first midweek contests CSU has played this season.
 
Midweek Schedule
Wednesday, March 24
Charleston Southern vs. Coastal Carolina (DH)
3 p.m. * Charleston, S.C. * CSU Softball Field * Live Stats * Game One Stream * Game Two Stream
 
Recapping Last Weekend
The Bucs won their first Big South game of the season Friday night in an 11-inning thriller over Radford, but the visiting Highlanders rebounded to sweep Saturday's doubleheader and take the series from CSU.
 
Brooklynn Brewington delivered the walk-off hit in the 11^th inning of Friday's contest, hitting an RBI single that scored Ashley Meckley. Annah Junge threw a career-high 8.0 innings in the Friday win, while Alyssa Heinrich earned the win after allowing just one hit in 3.0 innings.
 
CSU's offense failed to get going in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, as Radford jumped out to an early lead and defeated the Bucs 14-1. The Highlanders used a four-run first to take the series finale as well, 5-3.
 
Madison Koger had a team-leading four hits on the weekend, notching two-hit games in both the series opener and the series finale. Junge had a 1.91 ERA in 11.0 innings across two appearances in the circle.
 
Season Leaders
Brewington is the Bucs' leader among its regular starters in batting average at .364 and hits with 12. She also has at least one hit in nine of the first 10 games this season. Ashley Meckley has three homers and three doubles to lead CSU in extra-base hits and also has six runs batted in to lead the team in that category as well.
 
In the circle, Junge leads the Bucs in ERA at 4.27 and innings pitched at 21.1. Holly Clark leads the team with 13 strikeouts, while four different CSU pitchers have seen time in the circle – Clark, Baylee Eaton, Alyssa Heinrich and Junge.
 
What to Watch For
CSU has had a lead in six of its first 10 games this season.
 
Rhiana Hubbard saw her first action of the season against Radford, playing all three games in center field. In addition, Sarah Brown started at third base for the first time in the series finale against the Highlanders, after starting at either center field or right field in each of the first nine games.
 
CSU has used four different pitchers this season – Clark, Eaton, Junge and Heinrich. All four saw action in the circle in all three weekends the Bucs have played so far.
 
Scouting Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina enters Wednesday's doubleheader 7-12 overall and 1-5 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Chanticleers have lost seven of their last eight games and were swept by (RV) South Alabama at home over the weekend.
 
Makiya Thomas leads the Chanticleers with a .365 average and seven doubles. Thomas also has two homers, 11 runs batted in and a team-leading nine stolen bases. Abbey Montoya and Courtney Dean lead CCU with three homers apiece, while Dean has 12 RBI's to lead the Chanticleers in that category.
 
In the circle, Kaitlin Beasley-Polko is the ace of the staff. Beasley-Polko has started 11 games this season and is 5-6 with a 4.03 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 67.0 innings. Iyanla De Jesus is 1-4 with a 9.99 ERA in 24.1 innings and Raelee Brabham is 1-2 with an 11.07 ERA in 20.1 innings.
 
Series Breakdown
This is Charleston Southern's first games against former Big South foe Coastal Carolina since the 2019 season. The Bucs and Chanticleers were supposed to play in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season before the two teams were scheduled to play. CSU was also supposed to play in a tournament at Coastal Carolina last month, but the Bucs had to take a pause due to COVID-19 protocol.
 
Overall, Coastal Carolina has a 55-26 lead in the all-time series and a 22-10 lead in games played at the CSU Softball Field. The Chanticleers have won each of the last two games in the series and also took the last three-game series between the teams.
 
Coming Up on the Schedule
Charleston Southern hits the road for the first time this season when it heads to Clinton for a three-game series at Presbyterian. The Bucs and Blue Hose will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 2 p.m., with a single game Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
 
Next Five Opponents

• March 27-28 at Presbyterian
• April 2-3 vs. Winthrop
• April 7 at South Carolina (DH)
• April 9-10 vs. Gardner-Webb
• April 13 at Georgia Southern (DH)

 
Follow the Bucs on Social Media
For more information and news, stay up-to-date with Buccaneer Softball via Twitter, Instagram and CSUSports.com.