DeLand, Fla. - Charleston Southern registered a run-rule victory over Bethune-Cookman to open the second day of the Hatter Classic, and followed it with a 9-5 setback to Stetson Saturday, Feb. 26 in DeLand. The Buccaneers will compete against Stetson Saturday at noon in the consolation game.

CSU is now 5-9 on the season after going 1-1 on each of the first two days of the tournament. All four teams in the event have gone 2-2 so far. The Buccaneers have scored the most runs, 20, of any team in the field, but are in third place as runs allowed serve as the tiebreaker.

The Buccaneers used an 11-run first inning to catapult themselves to an 11-3, five-inning victory over Bethune-Cookman. CSU had 11 straight batters reach base with one out, and all 11 came around to score. Today's win marked CSU's first run-rule victory of the season.

The team's 11-run first inning was the biggest inning for CSU since scoring 13 runs in the second frame at South Carolina State March 16, 2010.

Erin Kegley went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored. She hit a two-run home run, her third of the season. Trea Steele hit 1-of-2, slugging a homer to drive in three runs. Megan Lombard batted 1-for-2, driving in two, and Kristin Kelleher scored two runs in a 1-for-2 outing.

Kimberly Hobbs improved to 3-4 on the season, allowing three runs on four hits in five innings pitched. Bethune-Cookman's Shanel Tolbert drew the loss, giving up 10 runs on eight hits.

CSU retired all three Wildcat batters in the top of the first inning. The Buccaneer bats exploded during the bottom of the first frame.

After a leadoff flyout, Kelleher walked. Kegley singled, and then Matthews drove in Kelleher for CSU's first run. Steele followed Jessica Brock's RBI single with a three-run home run, her first of the season, good for a 5-0 lead. A Stephanie Sbardella walk and singles by Hayes Holdsworth and Melissa Adams loaded the bases, bringing the top of the order back up. Lombard drove in Sbardella and Holdsworth with a single. Kelleher recorded an RBI single to make the score 9-0. The Wildcats changed pitchers, and Kegley blasted a two-run home run for an 11-0 edge. Garcia got the final two batters to ground out, ending the inning.

Bethune-Cookman responded with three runs during the top of the second inning. The Wildcats loaded the bases on the first three batters, and Cesley Tafoya drove in a pair with a double. Tolbert grounded out, pushing one more run across to draw to within eight, 11-3. Ashton Hinds pooped out to end the inning.

The teams produced justone hit the remainder of the game, a double by Hinds in the top of the fifth. With the Buccaneers leading by eight runs after the fifth inning, CSU earned the run-rule victory.

Box Score CSU 11 - Bethune-Cookman 3 (5 innings)

CSU out-hit Stetson, 11-8, during the team's second game of the day, but the host Hatters pulled out a 9-5 victory to close pool play for the Buccaneers. Stetson used a five-run first inning to take the lead, and built onto it throughout the contest.

Steele batted a career-best 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Steele is the first CSU player with four hits in a game this season. Erin Kegley hit 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.

Rachel Lowe hit a grand slam during her only at-bat, in the first inning. Jill Semento went 2-for-2 with two RBI.

Meredith Owen (2-2) worked the final five innings of the game for the win, while Morgan Dowdy (2-5) drew the loss.

CSU built a 3-0 lead after the top half of the first inning. Kegley hit an RBI double. After a Matthews single, Steele drove in pinch runner Jasmine Conley for a 2-0 edge. Sbardella added an RBI single, giving CSU a 3-0 lead.

The Hatters answered with five runs in the bottom of the first. Stetson loaded the bases, and scored its first run on a throwing error. Lowe gave the Hatters to lead at 5-3 with a grand-slam home run. Kimberly Hobbs then replaced Dowdy, retiring the final two batters in the inning.

Stetson added a run in the bottom of the second on a Semento sacrifice fly, and led 6-3 after two.

Kegley and Matthews reached to lead off the third, and Steele doubled in Kegley to slice the deficit to two at 6-4.

Both teams went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings. CSU rallied in the sixth, placing the first two runners on base, but had the rally halted by three straight outs.

Stetson added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to build a 9-4 lead. CSU scored once in the top of the seventh, as Ari Tedesco earned her first career RBI, but the Hatters prevailed, 9-5.

Box Score Stetson 9 - CSU 5

The Buccaneers will compete in the consolation game against host institution Stetson to conclude the Hatter Classic Sunday at noon.