CCU

Softball Goes 2-0 on Day Two of Jacksonville University Tournament, Defeat Marist 8-0, Vermont 5-0

       

Softball Goes 2-0 on Day Two of Jacksonville University Tournament, Defeat Marist 8-0, Vermont 5-0

More Information:      

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- In day two of the 2009 Jacksonville University Invitational, the Chanticleers shutout Marist 8-0 in six innings in the early game, and followed up the stellar performance with another, shutting out the Vermont Catamounts 5-0 in the afternoon game.

 

Game one saw freshman Ivy McCranie (Nashville, Ga./Berrien) throw a complete-game, six-inning shutout, allowing only three hits and striking out six to earn her first collegiate victory. The Chanticleers' bats were hot in game one for the second day in a row, as Coastal Carolina reeled out eight runs on 13 hits. 

 

Coastal Carolina (3-9) got off to a fast start in game one, as Brittany Birnbaum (Chino Hills, Calif./Ayala) and Sarah Maples (Pasadena, Texas/Pasadena) started the game off with back-to-back doubles in top of the first for the first run. Michelle Evans (Upland, Calif./Upland) then followed with a single, and was followed up by another double by Stacy Snellings (Richmond, Va./Godwin) to drive in Maples run to give the Chants the early 2-0 lead. Sophomore Ashley Pisone (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield)  went on to single down the right field line to drive in Evans and Snellings to run the score to 4-0.

 

In the fourth inning, Coastal Carolina added three insurance runs. Sparkplug Mecaela Ballard (Groves, Texas/Galveston) reached on an error, then a Birnbaum single to center put runners on first and second. Maples' sacrifice moved runners to second and third, and Evans followed with double to drive in Ballard. Snellings then ripped her second double of the day to deep right field to drive in Evans to give Coastal Carolina the 7-0 lead.

 

Maples would lead off the Coastal Carolina half of the six with a single that found the hole between shortstop and third base. After Evans popped out to the catcher, Snellings singled to right for her third hit of the day to put runners on first and second. A batter later, Pisone singled to right left field to drive in Snellings, stretching the Chanticleer lead to the game's final tally of 8-0.

 

Red Fox (1-2) batter Megan Lamourex broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the fourth inning on a single up the middle. Caitlin Carpentier fell to 1-1 on the season with the loss after throwing six innings, and allowing five earned runs and 13 hits in the 8-0 loss.

 

For the Chants, the heart of the order went a combined 8-for-10 at the dish, as Maples was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and a RBI, Evans was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Snellings was 3-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs.  Pisone gave Coastal Carolina punch at the bottom of the order, as she was 2-for-3 with three RBIs at the plate. 

 

In game two against the Catamounts, Ballard started the Chanticleer half of the first off with a bunt single, and advanced to third on a throwing error by the third baseman. After a Birnbaum pop-out, Maples singled up the middle to drive in Ballard for the first run of the contest and give Coastal Carolina the early 1-0 lead. 

 

From then on, the game-settled into a pitcher's dual in the middle innings, as starter Katelin Edwards (Greer, S.C./Newberry) threw 3.2 innings of no-hit ball to start off the contest. After surrendering the run in the first, Catamount pitcher Jocelyn Abaray settled down, not allowing another hit until the fourth inning.

 

Coastal Carolina threatened in their half of the fourth, as Maples led off with a rocket single to the third baseman. Evans then reached on an error, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Snellings' sacrifice advanced the runners to second and third with one out. However, Abaray was able to work her way out of the jam by striking out Dodd and getting Maples out at home after a wild pitch to keep the score at 1-0. 

 

In the sixth inning, Ballard reached on yet another infield single, and advanced to second on a Catamount throwing error, Next to the plate was Birnbaum, who promptly doubled to center to drive in Ballard to run the tally to 2-0. 

 

In the seventh, Evans led off with a double, and Snellings reached on the fourth Catamount error of the day, moving Evans to third. Pinch-hitter Olivia Williams (Whiteville, N.C/Greensboro College) pushed across a run on a safety squeeze to give Coastal Carolina the 3-0 lead. The Chants would add two more runs on the inning to extend their lead to 5-0, the latter coming on a Tornatore sacrifice fly to the centerfielder.

 

The Catamounts (0-3) could never mount a rally, as they could only put two runners on base in the seventh inning.

 

Edwards improves to 2-8 on the season with the complete-game shutout victory. The Greer, S.C. native fanned 11 Catamounts without surrendering a walk.


Today's victories mark the first time this year the Chants have won back-to-back games. Today's shutout victories also mark the first time since 2007 against Charleston Southern that Coastal Carolina has won back-to-back games via a shutout.

 

The Chanticleers will next be in action on day three of the JU Invitational Sunday at 11:45 am against the Jacksonville Dolphins, weather permitting.