CLINTON, S.C. ? Brittany Howell's infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning helped the Presbyterian College softball team earn a split with Coastal Carolina Saturday afternoon. PC lost the first game 5-0 but won the nightcap 2-1.

The Blue Hose now stand at 18-21 on the year and 5-9 in Big South play. Coastal Carolina falls to 13-29 overall and 4-8 against conference competition.

The visitors staked a 1-0 lead in game one in the third inning. With one away, Mecaela Ballard earned a walk. After stealing second, she came around to score on Michelle Evans' double.

PC had a chance to knot the score in its at bat in the third. Erin Stewart led off with a walk. Becca Caldwell came in to pinch run for her. She wasted no time as she promptly swiped second base. Amanda Miller's perfectly executed sacrifice bunt pushed her to third. However, the next two batters were unable to get the ball out of the infield, ending the threat.

The Blue Hose had an excellent chance in the fourth to tie or go ahead, but the team could not plate a run. With one down, Leslie Hensley reached on a single. She moved to second on Rachel Parker's base on balls. After being lifted for a pinch runner, Stephanie Payne went to third on Krysten Handy's infield single. Morgan White lofted a fly ball into the outfield that was not deep enough to score Payne. Stewart then laced a shot down the third base line, but the third baseman was able to snag it and touch third for the force out to end the inning.

In the fifth, Coastal Carolina went ahead 2-0 when Stacy Snellings singled home Brittany Birnbaum, who had reached on a lead-off double.

The lead was pushed to 4-0 in the sixth when Birnbaum launched a deep fly ball that should have been caught. The two-base error led to two runs crossing the plate for the advantage. The Chanticleers added another run in the seventh for the 5-0 margin.

Leslie Hensley tossed a complete game, taking the loss. She falls to 10-7 on the year.

The Blue Hose fell behind 1-0 in the third inning of game two, but Miller smashed an off-speed pitch over the left center field fence, knotting the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the frame.

The score remained the same until the eighth stanza. After Mary Gordon struck out two Coastal batters and forced the third one into a groundout, PC came to bat with the score knotted.

Kayla Handy was placed on second base to start the inning due to international rules. Miller put down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to push Handy to third. With two down, Howell, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the contest, smacked a shot toward left field. The shortstop went deep into the hole to stop the ball, but Howell rushed to first base while Kayla Handy crossed home plate, thus ending the game.

Gordon went the distance for PC. She gave up one run on two hits while striking out seven. Gordon improves to 6-13 on the season with the victory.

The teams return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m., in the final game of the three-game series.