CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Southern softball team opened the conference season at home against the Presbyterian Blue Hose on Friday night, falling by a 4-1 score at CSU Softball Field. 

Brenna Conley started for the Buccaneers (10-17, 0-1 in conference) going 4.0 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. She fell to 1-3 on the season. The game was scoreless until the top of the third inning, as a groundball led to the second out, but a wide throw to third base allowed for the Blue Hose (18-13, 3-1 in conference) to take a 1-0 lead. 

The Buccaneers had runners at second and third with less than two outs twice in the first three innings but were unable to scratch across any runs until the bottom of the fourth inning, when they took advantage of three Blue Hose errors. Blakley Kingsmore reached on an error by the first baseman and came around to score on an error by the shortstop to make it 2-1. 

Riley Lauffer pitched 3.0 innings of relief for the Buccaneers allowing two runs in the top of the fifth before throwing 2.0 scoreless innings. Carsten Sandvig was 2 for 4 at the plate, while Jordyn Dimond and Cadence Walding both hit doubles for the Buccaneers. Charleston Southern stranded nine baserunners on the evening. 

On Deck
The series concludes tomorrow, as the Buccaneers will host the Blue Hose for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 PM. You can follow the action at csusports.com.