CHARLESTON, S.C. – Unable to keep up their hot hitting from the previous night's four-run triumph against Palmetto State rival Charleston Southern, the Presbyterian College softball squad dropped a 5-0 encounter versus the Buccaneers on Saturday afternoon underneath an on-again-off-again sunny sky, falling in the overall series by a 2-1 difference.

Scattering five hits at CSU starter Annah Junge – who tossed her way through win #17 on the calendar – the Blue Hose never could make a sizable dent in the batter's box and were held off the board for the first time since April 2 as a result.

Now at 5-9 when competing in Big South duels, head coach David Williams' roster will look to finish strong over their remaining two series (at home versus Gardner-Webb and in a short ride to USC Upstate the week after), still chasing a top-four placement in the league across a hotly-contested and equally-competitive division.
 
NOTABLES
- Designated player Morgan Hess reached her seventh multi-hit performance of 2023 while going on to toss the game's final two outs, giving her four connections over the past 24 hours to go along with a pair of homers on Friday. Elsewhere, sophomore Mallory Fletcher continued her status as PC's top average at the plate in conference play (.314), reaching on a fielder's choice early before posting a 6^th-inning single.

- Freshman Peyton Duncan penned her debut Big South start on Saturday, staying in the circle for three stanzas while retiring four batters. Hess and Jenna Greene provided relief in round three of the program's second year in a row visiting CSU, responsible for the Bucs' elimination in the 2022 league tourney by a 10-4 clip.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Unsuccessful in a chance to win two out of three for the third straight conference set, the Blue Hose left eight base-runners stranded as the Bucs steadily grew the advantage. Rookie centerfielder Gracie DeCuir gave Presbyterian their lone body on third base in the top of the 5^th after reaching on an error and later sprinting to the other corner, although a two-out grounder kept PC at zero's.

- Senior shortstop Layna Johnson stole second base in the aforementioned 5^th, giving her 17 thefts across the semester and her team a 42-of-45 conversion rate when gambling behind the opposing pitcher's sightline.

- After scoring one quick run in the first chapter, CSU added a pair extra in the ensuing frame, never trailing again on the heels of a performance where they never led last night in Game 2 of the series. Two more insurance scores in the 6^th brought the final margin to its resting point of five.
 
UP NEXT
- Sporting a 16-6 resume when battling at the PC Softball Complex, Presbyterian's excellent home mark will reenter the fray next weekend in hosting duties against Gardner-Webb. Weather permitting, the Blue Hose will take on the Runnin' Bulldogs twice on Saturday which will segue into the series finale on the last day of the month.

- G-W had already tasted the L twice at the hands of USC Upstate by the time PC wrapped up their stay in Charleston, meaning next week's meetings will involve two clubs approaching urgency mode with only six more league dates on the radar. Just the top four schools in the Big South advance to postseason territory, a spot that the Blue Hose earned 12 months back.

- Sunday's Game 3 in Clinton will represent Senior Day for four exceptional players who've worn the blue and red since 2020, celebrating the numerous accomplishments of Greene, Johnson, Lath Freeman, and Rebecca Clark.