CONWAY, S.C. - Despite the first career home runs from Bina Abbott and Mickelle Oslin, the Tigers fell in a pair of games at the Coastal Carolina Tournament. Western Carolina scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 4-3 win over the Tigers in the opening game of the tournament. Coastal Carolina used four late runs to defeat the Tigers in the second game.
In the opener, Towson jumped out to an early lead as Abbott hit her first career home run in the top of the third. Western Carolina tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Tigers went back to work in the sixth as Sammi DiPompo drove a ball back up the middle for a base hit. DiPompo would come around to score as Brianna Jones doubled to center field. The run was DiPompo's 100th career run scored. She becomes the third player in school history to record 100+ career hits, 100+ career runs scored and 100+ career RBIs.
Towson would score once more in the game as Lindsey Kent led off the seventh with an infield single. Stef Polonia entered the game as a pinch-runner and would score on Haley Stueckler's one-out double.
The Catamounts got three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Western Carolina got a pair of singles to start the frame and an error by the Tigers allowed the first run to score. Morgan Wyatt had a sacrifice fly and a pinch-hit infield single by Kelly Braman plated the game-winning run.
Katie King earned the win for Western Carolina after giving up three runs on eight hits in the complete game performance. Dominique Ortega took the loss after giving up four runs, one of which was earned on 10 hits.
Amelia Griffin and Wyatt led Western Carolina with three hits apiece. Jones, Kent and Stueckler each had two hits apiece for the Tigers. Jones and Stueckler each had an RBI in the game.
In the second contest, neither team was able to dent the scoreboard until the top of the sixth. Cacia Pierre homered to center field to give the Chanticleers a 1-0 lead.
Coastal Carolina added to its lead in the top of the seventh. Brooke Donovan had a two run single in the frame while Pierre added an RBI base hit.
Towson got on the board in the bottom of the seventh as Oslin pinch hit for the Tigers and drove a ball over the fence in center field.
Ashley Bagwell earned the win for Coastal Carolina while surrendering one run on three hits in seven innings. Katie Lingmai took the loss for the Tigers after giving up four runs, two of which were earned on six hits in 6.1 innings of work. Paige Martin got the final two outs in the seventh.
Pierre and Donovan had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored for Coastal Carolina. Rachel Miller and Jones had the other two hits for the Tigers besides Oslin's.
The Tigers return to action on day two of the Coastal Carolina Tournament on Saturday. The Tigers face Delaware at 11 a.m. and Coastal Carolina at 3:30 p.m.
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