Megan Lombardi hit a home run in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 deadlock and lead Charleston Southern to the 3-2 win over the Presbyterian College softball team this afternoon in the Big South series finale in Charleston, S.C.
PC drops to 10-20 overall and 2-5 in the Big South while the Bucs improve to 20-16, 5-3.
PC opened the game with a walk by Jill McLean and it followed with a base hit up the middle by Cat Tarvin. Two batters later Erin Taylor singled to second, driving in McLean. Tarvin came home the next at-bat when Morgan Durham hit a sacrifice fly to right to give PC the early 2-0 lead.
Charleston Southern responded with a bottom of the inning opening double by Kristin Kelleher. Two batters later she would come home after Lombard recorded the first of her two hits on the day with a double to right center. Stephanie Sbardella singled in Lombard to make it a tie ball game after the first.
After Jennifer Giles, who came in relief for CSU in the first inning, gave up two PC hits in the second she retired the next 12 batters straight to keep the Blue Hose from reaching base until the seventh.
Leslie Hensley, who started for PC, held CSU hitless in the second and third innings before surrendering two hits in the fourth. She held CSU from scoring and retired the side in the fifth.
Lombardi broke the tie in the sixth with her home run to left center. Hensley was relieved by Kensley Loudermelk, who struck out two of the next four batters to hold the deficit to just one.
PC led off the seventh with a base hit by Tricia Hood. She advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt by Hensley and reached third off a CSU error. Tera Powell singled to shortstop to put runners on the corners with Tarvin walking two batters later. That would be as close at the Blue Hose would get as PC struck out the next at-bat to end the game, down 3-2.
Giles earned the win (5-6) for CSU, going 6.1 innings and striking out six while scattering four hits. Hensley took the loss (6-11) in 5.0 innings, surrendering three runs off six hits.
Powell and Tarvin both collected two hits to lead PC, while Lombard led CSU with two hits and two RBI.
Winthrop next hosts Winthrop in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader Friday, April 6 at 1 p.m. Saturday's single game is at 1 p.m.
Charleston Southern 3, Presbyterian College 2 (Mar 31, 2012 at Charleston, S.C.)
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Presbyterian College 200 000 0 - 2 6 0 (10-20)
Charleston Southern. 200 001 X - 3 7 1 (20-16)
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Pitchers: Presbyterian College - Hensley, Leslie; Loudermelk, Kensley(6) and .
Charleston Southern - DOWDY, M.; GILES, J.(1) and .
Win-GILES, J.(5-6) Loss-Hensley, Leslie(6-11) T-1:58 A-132
HR CSU - LOMBARD, M..
Weather: Overcast, Windy, 77
