CONWAY, S.C. - Presbyterian College came out strong in the first inning but had a potential breakthrough run nullified before eventually falling, 2-0 to Liberty in the first round of the Big South Softball Championship at Coastal Carolina University. 

Tera Powell's leadoff single to the plate followed by a wild pitch and an error on Amanda Miller's sacrifice bunt gave the Blue Hose runners on second and third with no outs.  Taylor Staten's strikeout gave Katie Anderson a chance with one out.  The first baseman lofted a would-be sacrifice fly to left field.  Powell scored on the play, but was later adjudged to have left early from third.  Her run was taken off the board.

In the bottom of the first, a leadoff Liberty hit was rendered meaningless as starting pitcher Leslie Hensley worked through the jam to retire the side on a strikeout with the runner stranded just 60 feet from home.

Both teams went quiet for the next two innings with the next nine PC batters being retired until Anderson dumped a bloop single down the left field line.  The hit was PC's second hit of the game, but she would go no further as the Blue Hose were retired on the next batter.

Liberty put a runner in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the fifth with a hit by pitch and a stolen base.  The run came in on a single through the right side by Cassie Hendrix.  A second run came in on J'nae Jefferson's RBI double to left center.  The runs broke the scoring deadlock and gave the Flames a 2-0 lead.

Over the final two frames, PC was unable to put a runner on base down the stretch and dropped the final score, 2-0.

Leslie Hensley was dealt the loss to fall to 9-13 on the season.  She kept the lid on the Liberty offense, holding the Flames to just five hits while striking out three.  Tiffani Smith took the win for Liberty to improve to 19-6.  She went the distance, holding PC to just two hits while striking out eight batters.

The Blue Hose will have the evening to re-group from the loss before a consolation bracket game on Friday morning at 9 a.m. against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers.  The game will be broadcast live on the Big South Network.  For more information, please visit www.BigSouthSports.com.