Charleston Southern broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the bottom of the seventh to take the 2-1 win over the Presbyterian College softball team Sunday afternoon in Charleston, S.C. Kylie Young gave PC its long run of the game with a RBI single in the fourth.
PC drops to 24-26 overall and 10-14 in the Big South, while CSU moves to 22-32, 10-14. The two teams are next in action at the Big South Tournament ay 11-14, in Rock Hill, S.C. Seeding will be announced Sunday evening.
After the Blue Hose went down in order to open the game, CSU led off the bottom of the first with three straight singles, the last a RBI hit from Jade Gandara to give CSU its first lead of the weekend at 1-0.
PC put its first runner on base with a lead-off walk from Megan Anderson in the top of the second. Hayley Elkins struck out the next two batters and forced a fly out to end the potential rally before it started. CSU put runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the frame, but Sydney Seigler struck out the third out to keep the runners at bay.
Jenna Harris opened the fourth with a walk. Three batters later pinch-runner Lourdes Dominicis advanced to second off a Kelsie Sanchez single and t third off a wild pitch. She scored the next at-bat off a RBI single from Young, her seventh of the year, to tie the game at 1-1.
After PC retired the CSU side in order for the first time in the game in the fourth inning, the Blue Hose collected their third hit in the top of the fifth, this one a two-out double from Erin Ruff. That would be it as the next batter struck out to end the inning.
Pitching in relief, Natasha Sherrod struck out two in the bottom of the fifth to strand a CSU runner on second. Erin Ruff recorded her eighth double of the season in the top of the sixth but PC was unable to get her home to keep the game tied at 1-1. The Blue Hose retired three of four batters in the bottom of the sixth to send the game to the seventh.
Jordan Ashley drew a walk in the top of the seventh, with Harris following a batter later with an infield single. The next PC batter grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, CSU got a single from Johnson, who stole second the next play. Brittany McPherson came through for the Bucs with a RBI single the next at-bat to bring in the game-winning run.
Sherrod (1-2) came in relief for starter Seigler and went 4.1 innings, giving up just two hits and one run, while striking out a career-high four batters. Four players recorded PC's four hits, with Young coming away with one RBI.
CSU collected eight hits, with Johnson pacing the team with two. Elkins took the win (11-23), going the distance with four hits and one run, while striking out nine.
