CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 29, 2008) – The Queens University of Charlotte softball team handed Coker College its first Conference Carolinas loss of the season today at Park Road Park in Charlotte, N.C. The Royals (9-20 overall/5-7 conference) won their third conference game in two days when they beat the Cobras (24-10 overall/9-1 conference) 8-7 in the second contest of the cold afternoon. Queens fell 3-0 in the first game.

Coker started the second game of the day by taking a three run lead in the first. The Cobras added two more in the third.

The Royals answered in the third using four hits and a Coker error to score three runs. Megan Campbell (Raleigh, N.C./Athens Drive) singled to right field to drive in Audra Littlejohn (Riverside, Calif./Centennial) for the first run and Mary Lee Giurintano  (Greensboro, N.C./Glenn) also singled to right field brining in Campbell and Alisha Waldrop (McDonough, Ga./Luella).

Kimberly Atkinson brought Ashton Williamson home for Coker increasing the lead by one, 6-3.

Queens used three singles, one double and a passed ball to advance the Royals runners around the bases and score five runs to take the lead 8-6. Brittany Stephens (Charlotte, N.C./Hickory Grove Baptist), Ashley Bagwell (Mooresville, N.C./Mooresville) and Amanda Bowman (Kernersville, N.C./Glenn) each hit singles and Giurintano recorded the only Queens double of the game. 

Eunice Nettles put one over the fence in the sixth to put Coker within one and that is as close as the Cobras would be.

Queens out-hit Coker 11-9. Waldrop and Giurintano were both 2-3 in the game for Queens. Williamson and Atkinson hit 2-4 for Coker.

The Royals out-hit Coker 6-5 in the first game, but could not convert the hits into runs. The Cobras scored all three runs of the game in the third when Atkinson homered with runners on first and third.

Carrie Beth Ritchie (Fayetteville, N.C./Northwood Temple Academy) led the Queens offense with two hits on three at-bats. The five Coker hits came from five different players.

Queens took two from Anderson University on Friday, March 28, by scores of 6-3 and 5-1.

The Royals host Catawba College on Thursday, Apr. 6, at 4pm. Coker travels St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Sunday, March 30 at 2pm .