MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Linzy Rother authored 5.1 shutout innings in the circle and cracked a RBI double to headline a 3-for-3 day at the plate as Charleston Southern bested College of Charleston, 3-0, in the opener of a doubleheader at Patriots Point Athletic Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

College of Charleston (29-20) starter Stephanie Saylors (16-11) settled into a groove to set down seven straight CSU (29-21) batters over the middle innings, but the Bucs broke through for the game's first run and a 1-0 lead courtesy of a two-out rally in the sixth. Rother again provided the punch, driving home Stephanie Sbardella from second base with a ringing double to the left-center field gap.

Charleston staged its best threat in the bottom of the sixth when Mackenzie Maples singled and then crossed to third on Vaughn's second base knock of the game, forcing Rother from the circle.

Morgan Dowdy then entered with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, and preserved the 1-0 CSU advantage thanks to a strike out and an ensuing 3-5-1 double play. Dowdy caught Lauren Pasquale looking on a called strike three for the second out of the frame, and pinch-runner Chloe Fletcher was then caught in a rundown, as Dowdy eventually applied the tag to cap the twin killing.

Dowdy's sixth inning high-wire act allowed Rother (3-1) to maintain a scoreless line in the circle, as the Long Beach, Ca. native scattered eight hits and two walks while punching out five over 5.1 innings of work.

Back-to-back two-out RBI doubles by Jessica Brock and Megan Lombard provided Dowdy some insurance in the top of the seventh. Both two-baggers came to left field off of Saylors, who left with two outs in the inning and was handed her second loss of the season to CSU. Saylor permitted the three runs (one earned) over 6.2 innings, while yielding seven hits and two walks, and striking out four.

Dowdy then put the finishing touches on her fourth save of the campaign in the bottom of the seventh, as she struck out two to help navigate her way around a pair of Charleston base hits.

Each pitcher managed to keep the opposing offense at bay throughout the early innings. Rother made her fourth start of the season in the circle for the Bucs, and enjoyed a terrific start to the contest. The junior right-hander notched a strikeout while retiring the Cougars in order in the bottom of the first, and then began the CSU half of the second with an opposite field single.

Saylors turned away CSU scoring threats by stranding a runner on second in each of the first three frames, and Rother took her turn at working out of trouble in the bottom of the second. The Cougars loaded the bases on a hit and a pair of walks, but Rother remained unscathed by snaring a line drive back to the circle.

College of Charleston received consecutive one out singles from Allison Pedigo and Lizzy Vaughn in the fourth, but once again came away empty as Rother rebounded to fan the eight and nine hitters to end the inning by striking out the side.

CSU and College of Charleston are currently just underway in the back end of the doubleheader. A Bucs win would give them a 4-2 season-series victory over their cross-town rival.