Sydney Seigler and the Presbyterian College softball team defense held Charleston Southern to just one hit, while Megan Anderson added three hits, one a home run, and three RBI, en route to the 5-0 win in game one of a Big South doubleheader Saturday afternoon in Charleston, S.C. It was PC's sixth shutout of the season. The Blue Hose broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the seventh to take the 3-2 win in game two.
PC improves to 24-25 overall and 10-13 in the Big South, while CSU moves to 21-32, 9-14. The two teams meet Sunday at 1 p.m., in the third and final game of the series.
Game One: PC 5, CSU 0
With one out in the top of the first, Jenna Harris gave PC its first hit of the game, with a single to left. She moved to second off a Hope Rogers walk, before coming home for the game's first run off an Anderson RBI single to right. Rogers made it 2-0 off a Kelsie Sanchez double the next at-bat. Anderson, now at third, scored off a CSU throwing error and PC took the early 3-0 lead.
Anderson put PC up 4-0 in the top of the sixth with her ninth home run of the season.
Seigler gave up her first hit of the game, to Stephanie Baro, in the sixth, but recovered to retire the next two of three batters to end the inning with no damage done. Prior to the sixth, Seigler and the PC defense had retired the side in four straight innings.
The top of the seventh saw PC lead off with a single from Ruff, followed by a base hit from Harris. Ruff would score two batters later off another RBI single from Anderson to give PC the 5-0 lead.
A walk in the bottom of the seventh put a runner at first for CSU in the bottom of the seventh, but PC retired the next two batters to end the game with PC taking the five-run win.
Leading PC was Anderson with her three-for-four effort and three RBI. Ruff and Harris each recorded two hits, with Sanchez and Longanecker adding one apiece. The Blue Hose posted nine hits and no errors, while CSU had the one hit and one error.
Seigler picked up the win (11-12), recording her second career complete-game one-hit shutout, her ninth career shutout and 31st complete game. Hayley Elkins moved to 10-23 overall, giving up nine hits and four earned runs with four strikeouts.
Game Two: PC 3, CSU 2
Rogers collected a single in the top of the first but was unable to get anything else going to start game two. CSU responded with a lead-off single from Amanda Matsumoto. After a stolen base and sacrifice bunt advanced her to third, Caitlyn Emberson drew a walk to put two runners on base for the Bucs with two outs on the board. It was for naught as the next batter popped up to the shortstop to end the frame.
PC got a runner on third as Sanchez doubled to left to lead off the inning, and advanced to third off a sacrifice bunt. CSU pitcher Arizona Pilgrim struck ou the next two batters to strand Sanchez and keep the game scoreless.
After a 1-2-3 CSU second inning, PC opened the third with back to back singles from Longanecker and Ruff. A sacrifice bunt from Harris advanced the runners with a sacrifice fly by Rogers bringing home Longanecker and giving the Blue Hose the early 1-0 lead.
Stevi Johnson singled up the middle with an out in the fourth, before a hit by pitch put her on second. PC defense held her there, getting two fly outs to end the threat and inning.
PC went down in order in the top of the fifth, with Matsumoto coming into the bottom of the frame with a one-out single, her second of the game. Gandara brought her home for the tying run with a double to left. Stephanie Bergmann tripled to left with two outs on the board, but she would be tagged out at home trying to steal to end the fifth.
Both teams went down in order in the sixth to head to the seventh with the score still 1-1.
Sanchez led off the seventh with a double, and was subbed out for pinch runner Jonnie Petree. Pinch hitter Kylie Young laced a double down the left field line to bring home a quick Petree as PC took the 2-1 lead. Kersten Legacki reentered and advanced to third off a sacrifice bunt. She scored PC's third run of a bunt RBI bunt from Rebekka Gross.
A RBI single by Gandara cut the lead to one, but she was tagged out running to second to end the game.
PC finished with six hits, with Sanchez pacing the team with two hits. Rogers, Young and Gross each had a RBI. CSU, with seven hits, was led by Gandara with three hits and two RBI.
Katie Brown earned the win (11-12), giving up seven hits and two earned runs, with two strikeouts. Pilgrim (9-7) surrendered three runs off six hits with five strikeouts. Neither team had an error.
