MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston softball team extended its winning streak to eight games after a pair of 4-0 victories over Furman in a Southern Conference doubleheader at Patriots Point on Friday afternoon.
The teams conclude the series with a single game on Saturday, April 7 in which the Cougars will raise money to "Beat Cancer with a Bat" with the National Foundation for Cancer Research. The Cougars will wear pink jerseys and auction off their game-worn jerseys.
The Cougars were able to produce timely hitting and were opportunistic with their base runners as they plated eight runs on nine hits on the day.
Stephanie Saylors (Easley, S.C.) and Hope Klicker (Walla Walla, Wash.) both threw complete game shutouts in the circle. Saylors struck out nine and now has 14 complete-game wins which leads the SoCon. Klicker put seven Paladins down on strikes.
Lizzy Vaughn had three hits and two RBIs between the two games. Amanda Lonergan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) hit her first home run of the season in the second game.
GAME ONE: CofC: 4, Furman: 0
The Cougars got started in the first inning of the first game when Vaughn doubled to left center and then Lonergan did the same to trade places with her and bring Vaughn to the plate.
Saylors had already struck out five hitters and had not allowed a base runner until a walk in the third inning. Furman did not produce a hit until the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Kristy Giragosian (Charlotte, N.C.) smoked a ball to third base for an infield single and scored on a triple to the fence by Allison Pedigo (Scottsville, K.Y.). Klicker and Ashton Jarrett (Hanahan, S.C.) also reach base in the inning and Vaughn tagged one back up the middle to score them both making the score 4-0, the eventual final.
GAME TWO: CofC: 4, Furman: 0
Lonergan homered to her opposite field with a slicing shot to left field which cleared the fence with ease despite an imposing wind blowing in the direction of first base.
Klicker would not require any additional run support but in the bottom of the third, the Cougars loaded up the bases and Mackenzie Maples (Corona, Calif.) picked up an RBI hit by pitch and a Paladin fielding error allowed two more runs to cross.
