Charleston Punches Ticket to First-Ever CAA Softball Championship Game with 6-0 Victory
Dylan Smith
BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
ELON, N.C. – For the first time in school history, fifth-seeded Charleston (30-28) will head to the 2026 CAA Softball Championship game following a 6-0 victory over third-seeded Campbell (34-22) at Hunt Softball Park on Friday.
The Cougars will await the winner of tonight’s final elimination game when they compete for the CAA Championship on Saturday, May 9, for a noon showdown. CofC is just the second No. 5 seed in league history to make the title game. Head Coach Maggie Mrowka will look to become just the third coach in league history to claim the CAA softball crown in her first season.
Charleston’s ace Mackenzie Mathis tossed a two-hit gem en route to her team’s first trip to the CAA title game. The Lexington, S.C., native struck out five batters and surrendered one free pass on a hit-by-pitch in her 15
th win of the season.
Outfielder Bronwyn Conroy went 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. The speedy outfielder became just the fourth CAA player in league history to log 40 stolen bases in a season, and the first since 2016. Conroy also moved into a tie for sixth all-time in the league record book for most runs in a single campaign, scoring 53 times this year.
Sierra Paradis provided half of the Cougars’ run support with one swing of the bat, driving in three runs on her lone double. Leela Langston also knocked in a pair of tallies in the victory.
Charleston’s Mathis and Campbell’s Katelyn Hubley went to war in the circle to start the game, each tossing three scoreless frames. Mathis surrendered a one-out single in the first before striking out four of the next five batters she faced. Hubley retired the first nine batters she faced, including a 1-2-3 third inning that saw all three batters go down swinging through strike three.
Conroy broke up the perfect game with a leadoff double in the top of the fourth. The freshman notched her 40
th swipe of the season when the Cougars implemented a double steal to score the game’s first run, watching Conroy swipe home for a 1-0 lead.
Following a blank fifth frame, Charleston put a five-spot on the board in the sixth inning. Julia Sitterding reached on a dropped third strike before moving to third on another Conroy double. Langston ripped a two-run single past the outstretched glove of the Campbell second baseman and took a 3-0 lead. The Cougars loaded the bases before Paradis belted a 1-1 pitch that sent the Camels’ left fielder crashing into the wall and the ball popping out of her glove for a three-run double and a 6-0 advantage.
Mathis continued to dominate the circle, allowing just one hit through the first five innings before retiring the final six batters she faced consecutively. Halle Cannon ended the game by crashing into the left-field wall and holding on to the ball for the final out.
Wednesday, May 6
Game 1:
No. 5 Charleston 5, No. 4 Stony Brook 1
Game 2:
No. 3 Campbell 4, No. 6 Elon 3
Game 3:
No. 4 Stony Brook 5, No. 6 Elon 3
Thursday, May 7
Game 4:
No. 5 Charleston 4, No. 1 Hofstra 2
Game 5:
No. 3 Campbell 9, No. 2 UNCW 4
Game 6:
No. 2 UNCW 7, No. 4 Stony Brook 3
Friday, May 8
Game 7:
No. 5 Charleston 6, No. 3 Campbell 0
Game 8: No. 2 UNCW vs. No. 1 Hofstra - 2:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 7 - 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 9
Game 10: No. 5 Charleston vs. Winner of Game 9 - 12 p.m.
Game 11: If Necessary - 2:30 p.m.
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