DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College softball team (8-32, 5-17 CC) swept a doubleheader against Chowan University (6-31, 2-20 CC) at the Erskine Softball Complex on Friday afternoon.

Erskine had to come from behind in the opening game, but a two-run home run from Maddie Ingram in the fifth inning proved to be the difference. In Game 2, the Fleet used a five-run second inning to take the lead and never looked back, earning their first doubleheader sweep of the season.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: Erskine 6-4 Chowan
Chowan took the lead in its first at-bat, but Brooke Patterson delivered an RBI single in the bottom half of the opening inning to tie the game. The Hawks went back in front with a three-run top of the third inning, though. But, Erskine responded immediately once again, this time thanks to a two-run blast from Gabby Burroughs, her 13th home run of the year, to get the Fleet within a run. After a shaky start to her outing, starting pitcher Kaylee Odum posted a zero in the top of the fourth, and a two-out RBI double from Kyndall Chandler in the bottom half knotted things at four apiece after four innings. Odum surrendered a one-out single in the fifth, but nothing more, and then would see her offense take their first lead of the day in the bottom half. After Burroughs worked a leadoff walk, Maddie Ingram launched a two-run home run, firing the Fleet in front, 6-4. Odum breezed through the sixth inning in the circle, and set down the first two hitters of the seventh, before running into a bit of trouble. The next Hawks hitter tallied a single and then Odum issued a walk, but the freshman regained her composure and induced a flyout to put the finishing touches on a 6-4 Erskine win.

Game 2: Erskine 8-4 Chowan
The Hawks scored again in the first inning of Game 2, but Erskine responded in a huge way in the second. Brooke Patterson worked a leadoff walk, but the next two Fleet hitters were retired. However, Kenzie Eagleman ripped an opposite-field double, scoring pinch-runner Addy Crawford to get the Fleet on the board. After Camryn Jordan drew a free pass of her own, senior Hailey Patterson launched her first collegiate home run, a towering three-run blast to give the Fleet the lead. Moments later, Kyndall Chandler left the yard as she and Patterson went back-to-back to cap a five-run second for the Fleet, all with two outs. Starting pitcher Payton Cox preserved the lead through the next three frames, and Chandler added to the advantage with her second big fly of the day, a two-run blast to extend the lead to 7-2 after five innings. Erskine scratched across another run in the sixth, and Cox went the distance in the circle to seal a doubleheader sweep for the Fleet.

THE PLAYER
After a 1-for-3 performance in the opener, senior outfielder Kyndall Chandler went 3-for-4 with two home runs in Game 2, the second multi-homer game of her career. In total on the day, Chandler drove in four runs and scored three of her own from the leadoff spot of the lineup.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine closes the regular season with a doubleheader against Southern Wesleyan University (18-26, 8-14 CC) on Saturday at 1 p.m.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

    Visit the Official Home of Erskine Athletics at www.erskinesports.com
  
    Follow us on Social Media – Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Photos