CHARLESTON. S.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte softball team battled Charleston Southern at the CSU Softball Field on Friday afternoon, falling in the opener by a score of 7-6 in extra innings before rebounding in the nightcap with a 4-0 shutout victory.

GAME ONE
Queens started the contest quietly, failing to put any runs on the board through the first four innings while Charleston Southern built an early advantage. The Royals broke through in the fifth inning, assembling a rally that produced four runs. A timely solo blast by Lauren Byrd in the heart of that inning helped push Queens into contention. The momentum carried into the bottom of the inning as additional runs from the bat tightened the score to 5-4. After another scoreless frame, Taylor Jones would send a two-run shot to left field to tie the game up at 6-6. After pushing to nine innings, an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth from the Buccaneers solidified their 7-6 win.

HIGHLIGHTS
– Queens' offense sparked in the fifth inning with Byrd kicking things off with a solo homer, followed by Natalie Windham, Kaylee DeJesus, Olivia Thornton and Jones all each registering a hit.
– The pitching staff of Kenzie Forrester and Abby Craver worked deep into the game, but allowed a late rally that proved too much to overcome. The duo struck out six batters.

GAME TWO
In the nightcap, the Royals responded with a dominant performance on the mound. Queens jumped on the board early, scoring a run in the first inning after an RBI single from Jones. The offensive surge reached its peak in the fourth inning when the team added three more runs, all on the strength of well-timed hits and smart base running from DeJesus and Windham. Meanwhile, Queens' pitchers Jordan Dunn and Jones ocked things down, allowing only two hits and no runs over seven innings to deliver a masterful 4-0 shutout.

UP NEXT
The Royals jump back into ASUN play against Florida Gulf Coast on Friday, April 4 at the Stick starting at 2 PM.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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