SOFTBALL FALLS TO WINTHROP, 4-1 IN FIRST ROUND OF BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT

BOX SCORE ROCK HILL, S.C. – No. 5 Winthrop used the long ball to rally and defeat No. 4 Radford, 4-1, in the first round of the Big South Tournament on Thursday afternoon from Terry Field at Winthrop University.

Trailing 1-0 and being no-hit in the fifth, a one-out home run by Melanie Andrea evened the contest. Winthrop's (26-27) second hit of the game was a go ahead two-run home run by Chelsea Schoenfeldt in the sixth. Andrea was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored from the nine spot.

Schoenfeldt went the distance to earn the win. After allowing four hits through the first go around of Radford's lineup, she held the Highlanders (20-35) hitless the rest of the way, as an error was the only base runner from the fourth inning on. The righty did not walk or strike out a batter.

The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak against the Eagles.

The Highlanders will have to work their way out of the losers bracket starting at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow against the loser of the contest between top-seeded Coastal Carolina and No. 9 Charleston Southern.

Freshman Emily Naegele led off the second with a home run, sparking Radford to an early 1-0 lead. The 10^th long ball of the season, tied her for the team lead and she is one shy of the RU rookie record.

The Highlanders had a chance to add to the lead in that inning and the next two but stranded runners in scoring position, which proved to be costly down the stretch.

Andrea broke up the no-hit bid and shutout with a first pitch one-out home run in the fifth to even the contest at 1-1.

The Eagles grabbed a 3-1 lead as Shoenfeldt laced a two-run first pitch home run in the sixth. A two-out RBI single down the leftfield line pushed the advantage to 4-1.

Freshman Rachael Walters started a suffered the defeat. She allowed three runs on two hits (home runs) in five-plus innings of work with six strikeouts and two walks. Senior Jackie Jenkins finished the contest, allowing a run on three hits.

Three other Highlanders recorded singles.

Print Friendly Version