ATHENS, GA— Winthrop’s softball team captured its first two wins of the season after defeating Virginia Tech 2-0 and Bowling Green 9-7 at the Third Annual Red & Black Showcase hosted by the University of Georgia, Saturday afternoon.
After shutting out Virginia Tech in a close game to start the day, Bowling Green and Winthrop had an offensive battle.
“The first one (win over Virginia Tech) was a good win, the second one was just a gut win,” said head coach Mark Cooke. “The first game was a terrific ball game. Cari (Wooldridge) held them in check the entire game. One of the best games I’ve ever seen her throw. She made all the pitches she needed to. We had some clutch hitting in the second game and some people that weren’t hitting stepped up today. Some tough games today and it definitely doesn’t get any easier tomorrow either. ”
Winthrop jumped out to a 5-0 lead, lost the lead 7-5 in the sixth inning before rallying in the bottom of the sixth to win the game. Teja Durante led off the game with a single to the pitcher and eventually came around to score on a Kelly Blea sacrifice fly to center.
Ashleigh Jackson provided the big hit in the second inning as her two-run single to center helped the Lady Eagles post four runs in the inning. Taylor Wright walked to lead off the inning and Ashlee Revell followed with a triple to right field for a 2-0 Winthrop lead. Durante followed that with her first career RBI as she singled to left, scoring Revell. Then Jackson delivered with the big hit, giving Winthrop a 5-0 lead.
The Falcons (2-5) got three back in the third inning as the big hit came off the bat of Paige Berger when she took a Megan Evans pitch over the left field fence for two-run shot. That made it a 5-3 lead for Winthrop.
At that point Jackson replaced Evans in the circle and settled down the Bowling Green offense for a couple of innings before it exploded for four runs in the top of the sixth to take the lead. With two outs, Melissa West came through with a two-run single to tie the game at 5-5. Then two batters later it was Berger again as she hit another two-run homer, this time over the right field fence.
Winthrop got things going in the sixth as Durante reached on a fielding error by the first baseman. Pearl Coleshill followed with a walk and the Lady Eagles were in business. Jackson popped up to the second baseman but Durante and Coleshill advanced to second and third after Zada Lines threw a wild pitch while Blea was batting. After Blea reached on a fielder’s choice, Durante scored on a dropped foul ball, making it 7-6 Bowling Green.
At that time, Chelsey Schoenfeldt stepped in as a pinch-hitter and belted her first career home run, a three-run shot to center for a 9-7 Winthrop lead. Wooldridge came on in the ninth to pick up her first save of the season as she struck out the final two batters. It is the ninth career save for Wooldridge.
In the opening game of the day for Winthrop, Wooldridge tossed a four-hit complete game shutout to lead Winthrop to a 2-0 victory over Virginia Tech (4-3). Wooldridge struck out eight and walked none for her first victory of the season and 13th shut out of her career.
Neither team got a hit until the third inning but it was Winthrop that threatened to score first in the bottom half of the inning. Lauren Levin led off with a single to right and was replaced at first base by Jenna Harbin. Melanie Andrea perfectly sacrificed Harbin to second base for the first runner in scoring position of the game. Megan Chapman came up and reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, which put runner at the corners with one out. Durante stepped up and lined out to the pitcher, who then doubled up Chapman at first to end the inning.
Winthrop didn’t spoil its opportunity in the next inning as it took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Coleshill started things off with a lead-off single to right field. Ashleigh Jackson followed with a single down the right field line to put runners at the corners with no outs. At that point, Virginia Tech’s Jasmin Harrell looked to get out of the situation again as Kathryn Eberlin struck out looking. However, Taylor Wright delivered with one out as she singled to left field, scoring Coleshill. That was all Winthrop got as Lenny Stoddart flied out to right field and Levin ended the inning with a ground out to first.
The Hokies did get a runner in scoring position in the top of the fifth with two outs, but Wooldridge popped up Richelle McGarva to end the inning.
Wooldridge received more help in the fifth inning as the Lady Eagles added an insurance run. Revell, who entered the game at second base in the fourth inning, led off the fifth with a single through the left side. After Chapman and Schoenfeldt each flied out, Coleshill stepped up and delivered an RBI double to left field for a 2-0 lead.
From that point Wooldridge cruised through the next two innings allowing a hit and striking out two. The senior righty tossed eight innings on the day and had 10 strikeouts with no walks. Winthrop is now 4-6 all-time against Virginia Tech.
On the day, Schoenfeldt had three RBI while Jackson had two. Coleshill had four hits on the day while Revell, Durante and Jackson each had two.
Winthrop will face Western Carolina at 11:15 a.m. and #8 Georgia at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday on the final day of the Red & Black Showcase.
