Winthrop softball splits doubleheader

CHARLOTTE, NC— Winthrop softball split a doubleheader at Charlotte Tuesday evening with a 10-3 victory and a 7-1 loss at the DL Phillips Complex.

Sophomore Kristy Noble had two home runs and six RBI in the first game of the doubleheader to help Winthrop earn the split as it is now 25-24 on the year while Charlotte falls to 22-26.

After falling behind 2-0 in the bottom of the third of game one, Winthrop answered right back in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Chelsey Schoenfeldt led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a Kathryn Eberlin single up the middle. Alex White delivered with a double to left center, scoring Schoenfeldt and putting runners at second and third with no outs. Jenna Harbin tied the game with a single to left, scoring Eberlin. With one out, Melanie Andrea hit into a fielder’s choice as Harbin was out at second on the force out number two and runners at the corners for Teja Durante. The senior center fielder drew a walk and that set the stage for Noble as she smacked a grand slam to left center for a 6-2 lead.

Charlotte grabbed the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third after Natalie Capone scored on a throwing error by Alex White after Alex Rogers had singled to third. Rogers was forced into the first out as Briana Gwaltney hit into a fielder’s choice. That was followed by a Chelsea Ingersoll single to put runners at first and second. Ingersoll and Gwaltney moved into scoring position after a wild pitch by Sutton Watson before Samantha Slade plated Gwaltney with a bunt single. Watson recorded the next two outs to strand Ingersoll at third.

Winthrop extended its lead to 8-2 in the sixth when Noble hit her second homer of the game, a two-run shot to left that scored Durante after she had tripled with two outs. Alex White made it 10-3 in the seventh with her eighth home run of the season, a two-run homer to left.

Watson earned her 15th win of the season as she is now 15-12 on the year after tossing a complete game allowing three runs on 10 hits with a walk and a strikeout. Charlotte’s Kati Watkins suffered the loss as she allowed all 10 runs on 12 hits with four walks and five strikeouts as she falls to 13-15 on the year.

Despite outhitting the 49ers in the second game of the doubleheader, Winthrop fell 7-1. The Eagles had nine hits, but were only able to manage one run while Charlotte finished with seven runs on five hits.

Winthrop took the lead in the top of the first on an RBI fielder’s choice by Eberlin, but Charlotte snatched the lead in the bottom of the second inning on a fielding error and never looked back.

The 49ers added three runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth to secure the win. Chelsea Lisikatos tossed a complete game as she scattered nine hits allowing just one unearned run with a walk and five strikeouts to improve to 7-10 on the year.

Sara Allen started the game for the Eagles and tossed three innings allowing two unearned runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts as she suffers the loss and falls to 2-4 on the year. Bradlee Holeman tossed three innings of relief allowing five runs on two hits with seven walks and a strikeout.

Durante, Harbin, Schoenfeldt and Corn each finished with three hits on the day. Noble finished with six RBI while White had three. Eberlin recorded her 100th career hit in the first game of the doubleheader.

The Eagles also extended their recording breaking home run total to 56 on the season.