Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Box Score - vs. Hampton | Box Score - vs. Coastal Carolina

CONWAY, S.C. - The La Salle offense was on fire on Friday, pounding out 22 hits total between two games, but the Explorers fell twice in the Chanticleer Showdown at Coastal Carolina. The Explorers dropped the first game to Hampton, 6-4, before falling 7-5 to host Coastal in the nightcap.

Alyssa Bitsimis went 4-for-7 on the day with a RBI and two runs scored and classmate Alicia Aughton batted 5-for-9 with one RBI and a run scored. Emily Moran added a 3-for-6 day with a double and three RBI.

Game 1 vs. Hampton:

The Explorers (0-9) got out to an early 3-0 lead on the Pirates (5-12) with two runs in the second and another in the third. With two outs in the second, Aughton got a rally going on a single to right field. Tristan Musho followed up by drawing a walk to put runners at first and second. Bitsimis drove home Aughton on a single up the middle to get the Explorers on the board. Moran brought home the game's second run, scoring Musho on a single to left.

After a scoreless Hampton  third, the Explorers extended their lead as Breanna DiTommaso hit a leadoff single up the middle in the bottom of the frame. She advanced to second with a stolen base and then got third on a wild pitch. Two outs later, Megan Hodgson got the first of her two hits of the game, a single to short that scored DiTommaso. Aughton tried extending it further as she followed up with her second hit of the game, a single to centerfield, but Hampton ended the Explorer threat with a strikeout to end the inning.

Hampton took the lead in the sixth inning as the Pirates came out swinging with three straight singles to start the inning. Margaret Wilkins hit a sac fly to score the Pirates' first run, and two batters later, Kelsei Saunders blasted a three-run home run. The Pirates added two more in the seventh with a leadoff home run followed by an unearned run that scored on a sac fly.

The Explorers got one of the runs back in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to an unearned run that was driven in by an Aughton single to left center, but the Pirates ended the Explorer hopes with a strikeout and a groundout to the pitcher.

Aughton went the distance in the circle for the Explorers, giving up six runs (five earned) on seven hits while fanning four and walking none. Jailynn Jackson also pitched a complete game for the Pirates, giving up four runs (three earned) on 11 hits while striking out six and issuing two walks.

Game 2 vs. Coastal Carolina:

The second meeting of the Explorers and Chanticleers was a hitting show, with the teams combining for 26 hits as the Chants took the game 7-5. Coastal hit hard and early, with one run in the first and five in the second to take a 6-0 lead. The Chants pounded out seven straight hits to start the second with three doubles.

The Explorers rallied, however, getting within 6-5 thanks to a two-run fifth and three-run sixth. Aughton led off the fifth with a single to right center and advanced to second on a Musho sac bunt. Bitsimis followed up with a single to left to put two runners on base. Moran came up with blast down the right field line for a RBI double to score Aughton. Bitsimis found home plate two batters later when DiTommaso knocked a RBI single to right field.

The Explorers added three more in the sixth. With one out, Aughton got on base with a single through the left side. Musho drew a walk to put runners at first and second, and Bitsimis loaded the bases with a single to left. Moran recorded her second RBI of the game with a single to left to score Aughton.

Linnette Siedler then drew a bases-loaded walk to score Musho and DiTommaso then hit her second straight single to left to score Bitsimis for the inning's third run. The Explorer rally ended when Siedler was tagged out on the basepath on a fielder's choice.

Coastal added one more run in the bottom of the sixth to go up 7-5, which held for the final.

Kristin Travers took the start against the Chants, but lasted just over an inning as the home squad mounted their early rally. Aughton came on for the final 4.2 innings, giving up one unearned run on six hits. Morgan Mastriania got the win for Coastal, going 5.1 innings and giving up five earned uns on nine hits. Ashley Bagwell earned the save, pitching the final 1.2 innings and giving up just two hits.

Next Up:

The Explorers continue play at the Chanticleer Showdown on Saturday, with a contest against North Carolina A&T at 3:30 followed by another meeting with Hampton at 5:30.