CONWAY, S.C. - The Saint Joseph's softball team split its first two games at the Chanticleer Showdown as the Hawk fell 7-1 to Pittsburgh, but bounced back for a 5-2 victory over host Coastal Carolina on Friday.
Backed by a 3-for-4 performance at the plate by junior Taryn Grober and a complete-game effort from senior Madison Clarke in the circle, the Hawks picked up a 5-2 victory over the host Chanticleers in game two on Friday.
Grober opened the scoring in the top of the second with her first home run of the season, a solo shot to left, to make it 1-0.
Following a two-out double by Raelynn Genovese, Lauren Reilly reached safely as Coastal Carolina misplayed the ball, allowing Genovese to come around to score to put the Hawks ahead 2-0.
In the fourth, Stacey Mayer would score the first SJU run on an RBI single by Genovese. After a fly out, Amanda Kulp singled home Grober to push SJU's lead to 4-0.
Coastal Carolina (10-3) would get a home run in the fifth and added another run in the sixth, but Grober and Clarke worked to make sure the SJU lead remained.
Up 4-2, Grober added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as a two-out single scored Sarah Ostaszewski.
Clarke made quick work of the Chanticleers in the bottom of the inning as she retired them in order to preserve the win and move to 2-1 on the season. Clarke finished the game with three strikeouts, while being charged with just one earned run.
In game one, Pittsburgh (7-3-1) jumper out to a 2-0 lead in bottom of the second on a two-run single, and pushed its lead to 4-0 in the fourth as the Panthers took advanatge of three SJU fielding errors.
An RBI single by Ashley Hession made it 4-1 in the fifth as Grober scored.
But that would be as close as the Hawks would get as Pittsburgh added three more insurance runs in the sixth.
For the game, junior Ashley Ventura allowed three earned runs over five innings, and struck out a pair in a loss. Ashley Stokes worked the sixth in relief, striking out two, while allowing two earned runs.
At the plate, Hession went 1-for-2 with an RBI as SJU combined for just four hits.
The Hawks (3-4) return to action on Saturday at noon versus Georgetown before taking on the Chanticleers at 5 p.m.
Follow the Saint Joseph's softball team on Twitter and like the Hawks on Facebook.
Receive all of the latest news and info on SJU softball with Hawk E-News – SIGN UP
