CHARLESTON - The Charleston Southern softball team opened the 2026 season at home on Friday. They took on Siena and St. John's in the CSU Kickoff Tournament on opening day. The Buccaneers dropped their first game of the day to Siena by a 9-6 final and went on to fall to the Red Storm 6-0 to end the night.

GAME ONE

Riley Lauffer started on the mound for the Buccaneers, throwing three innings and allowing three runs in the first inning before settling in to throw two scoreless innings. 

Offensively, Charleston Southern struck early. Carsten Sandvig hit a double in the first inning driving in two runs to put the Buccaneers on the board. Charlee Yourman hit an RBI double later in the inning to tie it at three apiece in the first. Lorenzza Marcacci brought Carsten Sandvig home on an RBI single to right to give CSU a 4-3 lead. Soon after, Yourman smashed her first home run of the season in the third inning to extend the Buccaneers' lead to 6-3 as it scored Marcacci as well.

The Saints went on to score six in the final two innings to regain the lead, complete their comeback and get the victory at 9-6.

Maddie Lee hit a triple in the second, making her first appearance since the start of the 2025 season when she suffered a season-ending injury. Jordyn Dimond, Yourman and Sandvig each lead the team with two hits. Gianna Deluco made her first appearance for the Buccaneers throwing 2.1 innings allowing one hit with Brenna Conley throwing the final 1.2 frames.

GAME TWO

St. John's jumped out to an early 3-0 lead by scoring two runs in the first inning and another in the second. They went on to tally three in the fifth, pushing their lead to 6-0. Despite the scoreless showing, the Bucs put runners on in every inning, but the seventh.

Charleston Southern had four hits on the night with Charlee Yourman hitting her second double of the season and Blakely Kingsmore leading the team with two hits. Camryn Martin made her first start for the Buccaneers at first base, recording six putouts on the night. Kinsey Clopton got the start in the circle and threw a complete game allowing six runs with seven strikeouts.

UP NEXT

The Buccaneers will return to CSU Softball Field in the afternoon for another pair of contests. They will welcome George Mason and Marist to the facility for day two of the CSU / CofC Kickoff Tournament with the first pitches scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.