CSU Evens Series with 5-1 Victory at Liberty
4/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
After dropping game one, 1-0, Charleston Southern earned a 5-1 win over Liberty in the nightcap, Saturday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
CSU improves to 21-28, 9-10 in Big South play following the doubleheader split today. Liberty's record stands at 25-24, 11-6 in league games heading into tomorrow's 1 p.m. series finale at Liberty Softball Stadium.
Arizona Pilgrim (9-6) earned the victory, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out three in four innings pitched. Hayley Elkins picked up the save, with three innings of hitless softball during which she struck out one and walked two.
Chandler Ball (4-5) sustained the loss for Liberty, giving up five runs, four earned, on four hits, walking four and striking out four in 4 1/3 innings pitched. Kenzie Friesen finished the last 2 2/3 innings, yielding just one hit while striking out two.
Stevi Johnson went 2-for-4 with a double for CSU, while Natalie Yonan batted 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI. Jade Gandara doubled and drove in one run.
Alexia Taylor and Madi Clarke both went 2-for-3 with a double to lead the Lady Flames, while Sarah Robertson batted 1-for-3 with a triple and one RBI.
Liberty struck during the first inning, as Taylor hit a leadoff single. After a fielder's choice, Robertson plated Zavodny with an RBI triple to right field. Pilgrim then fanned Deidra See and Rylee Reynolds, keeping the score 1-0 through one frame.
The Buccaneers capitalized on a Liberty error during a three-run second. After Caitlyn Emberson singled and Brittany McPherson drew a walk, an error loaded the bases with one out. Yonan then lined a bases-clearing double, making it 3-1, CSU. Ball struck out Amanda Matsumoto to end the rally.
Pilgrim pitched around a leadoff double by Taylor in the third, keeping the score 3-1.
CSU staged a two-out rally in the top of the third, as Georgi DeLio walked and Yonan reached on an error. Ball then quelled the threat, fanning Stephane Baro.
Charleston Southern added two insurance runs in the fifth stanza. Matsumoto drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Johnson hit a one-out infield single, with Matsumoto scoring on a throwing error. Gandara then boosted the lead to 5-1 with an RBI double before Friesen entered the circle in relief of Ball and struck out the next two batters.
Elkins relieved Pilgrim during the bottom of the fifth, walking Cassie Gingerich before getting Taylor to pop into a double play.
Friesen held the Buccaneers scoreless through the rest of the contest, allowing just one hit in the process.
Liberty got a baserunner with two out in the seventh when Kaitlin McFarland walked, but a groundout by Katie Han ended the game.