Cougs, Bucs both fall in tourneys

State Report

MOUNT PLEASANT — Megen Smith had three RBIs and ended a furious College of Charleston rally in the final inning to earn the save as Georgia Southern beat the Cougars 6-5 in the Southern Conference softball tournament at Patriots Point on Thursday.

C of C (32-32) scored four runs in the seventh, getting an RBI double from Kristi Woodall and a two-run double by Shannon Howard and then pulling within 6-5 on two errors by the Eagles (36-28).

The Eagles led 2-1 before scoring four times in the fifth, three coming on Smith's three-run double.

Howard went the distance and took the pitching loss for C of C.

In Thursday's other games, Elon defeated Western Carolina 5-3, Appalachian State downed Furman 2-1, and UNC Greensboro beat Chattanooga 3-1.

The Cougars play Elon in an elimination game at noon today. Chattanooga plays Appalachian State at 10 a.m., and Georgia Southern plays UNC Greensboro at 3 p.m.

--Charleston Southern (18-40) outhit Coastal Carolina (19-38) but lost 3-1 in its opening game in the Big South Conference softball tournament in Rock Hill.

The Bucs, who led 9-4 in hits, scored a run in the first, but Verity Long-Droppert answered with a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning. Jamie Wellons took the loss for the Bucs, who play Liberty at 10 a.m. today in an elimination game. Jenn Brooks had two hits for CSU. Liberty lost to Birmingham-Southern 2-1 on Thursday.

Golf

Mike Weiner overcame a nine-shot deficit and captured the 50th annual S.C. Golf Association Senior Championship at Greenville Country Club's Chanticleer course.

Weiner fired a final-round 68 for a 54-hole total of 217 to beat Gary Shimmin of Okatie. Shimmin had a final-round 75 for a 219 total. Second-round leader Jim Van Ooteghem of Seneca closed with an 80 and tied for third at 220 along with Steve Pachol of Columbia.

Weiner, a member of Kiawah Island Club, played the 10th through 12th holes with two birdies and an eagle, holing out with a 9-iron from 130 yards for the eagle.

There were 125 players ages 55 and older competing.

--Charleston Southern shot a 309 and is tied for 14th out of 21 teams in the women's NCAA East Regional at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens. Duke leads at 285. Olivia Jordan-Higgins led CSU with a 75 and is tied for 31st.

--The College of Charleston's Steffi Kirchmayr carded a 1-under 71 to sit tied for 10th, six shots off the lead, after the first round of the women's NCAA Central Regional at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin.

Football

A top high school All-Star football game is relocating to Conway. The Offense-Defense All-American Bowl will be held at Coastal Carolina's Brooks Stadium next January, according to Offense-Defense Sports president Rick Whittier.

The high school game was last played at Miami's Orange Bowl, and was the last game held at the stadium before its demolition.

The game features 88 of the country's top high school seniors.