CCU softball sweeps competition in the 2020 ‘Residence Inn Battle at the Beach’

The Coastal Carolina softball team played in the annual Residence Inn Battle at the Beach on Friday, Feb. 14, 2020. CCU’s first game was against the No. 2 ranked in the Ohio Valley Conference, Jacksonville State University.

The game got off to a slow start for both teams until an error by JSU in the bottom of the fourth allowed infielder Makiya Thomas to score. Coastal’s Courtney Dean would also score in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of a double by Junior infielder, Ally Chegg. Coastal went into the top of the fifth with a two point run lead.

Jacksonville State came out with bats swinging to start the fifth inning. After two single runs, JSU Fortner hit a home run bringing in two runs and putting JSU ahead of Coastal by two runs.

The bottom of the fifth inning kept up the high tempo. Sydney Guess hit a single, but due to an error by JSU, Paige Rivas and Michaela McAuley were able to score and Guess made it to second. This tied up the game. Guess and Thomas both went on to score, again putting Coastal ahead by 2 runs, 6-4.

JSU did not score any runs in the top of the sixth and they only got to hit four batters. CCU had a rough start in the bottom of the sixth but was able to bring in two runs, Beyer and Guess. Coastal headed into the final inning with a four point lead.

JSU did come back and score two more runs in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough to defeat CCU. Coastal won 8-6.

Game 2

Coastal’s second game of the Residence Inn Battle at the Beach tournament was Northern Illinois University Huskies on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020.

The Huskies were the first to get a run on the board in the first inning and CCU came up to bat trailing by one. With one out and bases loaded, Taylor Sweigart hit a grand slam straight over left field. Coastal would not go on to score again in the first inning.

NIU did not score in the top of the second. Coastal started the bottom of the second with two outs, but thanks to another home run by Kassidy Smith, Coastal was able to bring in three more runs, leading NIU 7-1.

The Huskies would claim a homerun in the top of the third inning, bringing in one run. The Huskies would not score again.

Allison Kreyer then hit a homerun over center field, bringing in two more runs for CCU. Going into the fourth inning the score was 9-2.

After three quick outs in the top of the fourth, Coastal was again up to bat. Kreyer was walked with bases loaded and Sweigart was able to score. Mackenzie Beyer was next up to bat but was walked, Guess scored. Gabby Baylog came in as pinch hitter for Rivas, but was also walked, Chegg Scored. Next up to walk was Thomas and Kreyer Scored. Coastal was now leading NIU 13-2.

Coastal brought in Adrienne Visintine to hit for Pitcher Kassidy Smith. Visintine hit a double down left field and Baylog and Beyer scored.

The game ended in the bottom of the fifth inning because of the run rule. Coastal defeated NIU, 15-2.

Coastal would also face Delaware State on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020.

In a shut out game, Coastal beat Delaware State, 10-0. Paige Rivas started Coastal out with a run in the first inning. Stavi Augur would claim her first grand slam of the season in the bottom of the second. After McAuley stole home, Abbey Montoya claimed her first grand slam of the season.

Raelee Brabham, Freshman Pitcher, pitched an outstanding game, only allowing for three hits the entire game.

Coastal would face Delaware State again on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020.

It was a shut out game for Coastal, defeating DSU 13-0. To start Coastal off, Sydney Guess hit a home-run over center field and brought in three runs. After a few single runs, Kassidy Smith made it to third base because of a fielding error by DSU, Augur and Rivas scored. Still in the bottom of the second inning, Montoya hit her second home-run of the tournament and brought in three more runs. At the end of the second inning, Coastal was leading 12-0.

Paige Rivas and Abbey Kreyer would go on to score, bringing the game to 13-0. This marked the third game in a row that Coastal ended in the fifth inning. Kaitlin Beasley Polko pitched all five innings and allowed four hits and no runs.

The last game of the tournament was against College of Charleston, but it was cancelled due to weather.

Coastal’s next tournament is the 2020 Ripley’s Chanticleer Showdown which began on Friday, Feb. 21, at 2:30 p.m.