CHARLESTON, S.C. – With one loud and unforgettable strobe-like flash of her bat in the bottom of the seventh inning, Shelby Stracher simultaneously did three things.
 
First, her three-run walk-off blast helped Towson erase a five-run deficit and claim a 9-6 victory over North Dakota in its season opener at the Wingate by Wyndham Invitational at Charleston Southern Friday morning.
 
In addition to adding to her packed portfolio of memorable moments, Stracher became Towson's all-time home run leader with her 35th all-time shot. Lastly, her first homer of the season provided the ultimate explanation point to the Tigers' breathtaking five-run seventh inning rally that was started by Kendyl Scott's solo homer.
 
In a bit of déjà vu but only with sunnier weather conditions, this was the second time in the last three years that Stracher ended a game with a walk-off homer in Towson's season opening contest in this same venue.
 
As she happily trotted around the bases and plunged into a jubilant mob of teammates at home plate, Stracher was thinking of her travel coach, Jim Hardy, who recently passed away from cancer.
 
Records
North Dakota  1-2
Towson           1-0
 
Quotable
Stracher on Hardy's impact on her life.
"This one was for Jimbo. I would really like to dedicate that home run to him because he's a big reason I am even at Towson. He was influential in my life in general. When it came to softball or anything in general, he was an unbelievable competitor and as a coach he push us girls to be the exact way. But as soon as we stepped off the field, he was a goofball and was there to make everyone laugh which is the way I like to be."
 
On becoming the all-time home run leader during a victory.
"It's a great feeling and even to be on the same list as some of the great hitters to come through Towson is a cool feeling. Coming back from trailing is an amazing feeling especially since we lost a lot of close games last year. We focused a lot in the offseason on putting ourselves in positions to win. We were all in a confident place where we never feel like we were out of the game."
 
How It Happened

• Scott led Towson's 10-hit offensive attack with three hits.
• Madison Wilson and Daria Edwards had a pair of hits each for the Tigers.
• All 10 hits came from Towson's first five batters in the order.
• Scott, Wilson, Edwards, Miko, and Stracher combined to hit .625 (10-for-16).
• Stracher finished with five RBIs.
• Olivia Baltazar tossed a pair of perfect innings to earn the victory.
• After falling into a 6-1 hole in the top of the fifth inning, the Tigers offense perked up.
• Stracher had the big hit with a two-run single down the rightfield line that scored Edwards and Wilson and sliced North Dakota's advantage to 6-4.
• Towson entered the seventh inning trailing by that same margin.
• Scott's blast pulled the Tigers to within, 6-5, and Brook Miko singled to score Wilson with the tying run.
• Wilson got Towson's first hit of the 2018 season with a single.
• Scott scored Towson's first run of 2018 after Edwards' RBI single in the bottom of the third inning cut North Dakota's lead to 2-1.
• Taylor Nadler led North Dakota's offense with two hits including a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning as part of a four-run rally.

 
Inside the Numbers

• Baltazar and Megan Dejter combined to face 29 batters and threw a first-pitch strike to each of them.
• Towson was 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position (.417 average).
• This was the third time in Stracher's career, she's finished with at least five RBIs.
• This was Scott's ninth-career three-hit game.
• Dating back to last season, Scott has a six-game hitting streak.
• Wilson extended her hitting streak to four games.
• Baltazar is 4-0 in her career as a pitcher.
• It was her first decision since her freshman year in 2015.
• Towson has won six consecutive season openers.
• The Tigers improved to 30-13 all-time in season opening contests and 16-6 under Costello.