SUMTER, S.C. – The No. 11 seed Erskine College softball team (13-30, 11-17 CC) was defeated by No. 6 seed Chowan University (30-18, 17-11 CC) by a score of 5-4 in eight innings in the opening round of the 2026 Conference Carolinas Softball Championships.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Back in the conference tournament after missing last year's event, the Fleet made a fast start in the single-elimination play-in round with an RBI single from Gabby Burroughs and a bases-loaded hit by pitch from Amber Clark that scored Hannah Lewis and gave the Fleet a 2-0 lead after the first inning. In the circle, freshman Layla Clayton posted three scoreless innings to begin her outing, but Chowan got on the board in the fourth and then tied the game with another run in the sixth as the Fleet offense could not build off its hot start. But, with the game tied at 2 in the seventh, Burroughs delivered again, this time with a two-run double that put Erskine back on top, 4-2, and just three outs away from a victory. However, the sixth-seeded Hawks answered with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom half. Kinsley Kay induced a double play to escape further damage in the frame and send the game to extra innings. But, Chowan held the Fleet off the board in the top half of the eighth and got a walk-off single in the bottom half for their first and final lead of the day, as the Fleet suffered a heartbreaking loss on the first day of the conference tournament.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Following Thursday's results, Erskine's 2026 campaign came to a close. But, the Fleet will hope to continue on the improvements heading into 2027, as Erskine increased its win total in conference play by seven from the year prior.

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