Coastal Carolina defeated James Madison University 12-3 in a Sun Belt Conference softball game on March 21 at Bank of the James Field at Veterans Memorial Park.
The result gave Coastal Carolina the series victory, with the Chanticleers producing a strong offensive performance that included a seven-run fourth inning. The outcome impacts both teams’ standings in the Sun Belt Conference, as Coastal Carolina improved to 16-14 overall and 4-1 in conference play, while JMU dropped to 14-14 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
McKennah Metzger led Coastal Carolina’s offense by going 3-for-4 with three home runs and seven runs batted in. Georgia Hood also contributed with a home run and went 2-for-3 at the plate. The Chanticleers scored ten of their twelve runs during the third and fourth innings, collecting ten hits over the course of the game.
James Madison managed four hits and drew eight walks. Emma Jo Evans hit an RBI double in the fifth inning for JMU, while Bella Henzler delivered an RBI single earlier in the game. Mackenzie Childers earned her second win of the season for Coastal Carolina after allowing three runs on two hits with eight walks over four and two-thirds innings pitched. Taylor Johnson took the loss for JMU, giving up seven runs on seven hits across five innings.
The scoring began when Metzger hit a three-run home run in the third inning to give Coastal Carolina a lead. In response, Henzler singled to score Madison Edwards for JMU’s first run. The pivotal moment came in the fourth inning when Coastal scored seven runs, including another three-run homer from Metzger and a two-RBI single from Hood.
JMU will conclude its home conference series against Coastal Carolina on Sunday, March 22 at noon at Veterans Memorial Park. The game is scheduled to stream live on ESPN+.
