CHARLESTON, S.C. – Annah Junge went the distance in the circle, striking out five and facing just four past the minimum, in a dominant pitching performance, leading the Charleston Southern softball team to a 4-1 Big South victory over visiting Campbell Saturday afternoon in the league opener for both programs. In a game with just six combined hits, four by the Bucs, the CSU offense struck first and added insurance runs in the middle inning to win its fourth-straight contest overall.

JUNGE'S NUMBERS
The junior lowered her season ERA to 2.16, giving up just one earned run to the Camels, by tossing her fifth complete game of the campaign. She scattered two hits and two walks over her seven innings, while catching four Campbell (11-7, 0-1 Big South) batters looking for strike three, including twice with a base runner on and once after CU scored its only run to halt any further threat.

OFFENSE LOADS UP IN THE FIRST
Charleston Southern (9-10, 1-0 Big South) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in its bottom half of the first inning. Weslin Jones walked and then raced around the bases to score as Raleigh Lewis roped a double to the wall. Lewis then moved to third on a Georgeanna Barefoot wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly to center by Gracie Prince to double the margin.

CAMPBELL GETS ONE BACK
Junge induced her second-straight 1-2-3 frame in the top of the second, yielding her first base runner when Samantha Fontaine singled to lead off the third. She advanced to second on a ground out to third baseman Lexi Markle, the current Big South Freshman of the Week, and then moved to third on a Claudia Ware bunt single, putting runners on the corners. A double steal brought Fontaine home but Junge didn't allow any further damage, striking out Alyssa Henault to end the inning and keep it a 2-1 Bucs lead.

BATS COME ALIVE IN THE FOURTH
The Buccaneers found their offensive rhythm again in the bottom half of the fourth with Lewis registering her second double in as many at-bats, this time to right field, to lead off the stanza. Erika Cooper entered as a pinch runner and moved to third on another Barefoot wild pitch before being brought in to score on a Gracie Prince single to left.

SeaEnna Satcher then reached base on a fielder's choice and worked her way into scoring position on a passed ball by Savannah White. At that point, Rhiana Hubbard entered as pinch runner and moved within 60 feet of home plate on a Markle fly out to center. Madison Koger then hit a hard ball to shortstop Henault, who bobbled it, allowing Hubbard to tack on the final CSU run of the contest.

JUNGE SHUTS THEM DOWN
Over the final-three innings, Junge got a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, allowed a two-out walk in the sixth before striking out pinch batter Bri Bryant to end the frame and then did not allow the ball to escape the infield for the last-three outs in the seventh to close the door.

BACK AT IT TOMORROW
The two league opponents will square off again Sunday in a doubleheader at the CSU Softball Complex, starting at 11:30 a.m. Live stats and an ESPN+ broadcast will be available for both games with all links on CSUSports.com.