ROCK HILL, SC—The Winthrop softball team opens the 2011 season on Friday, Feb. 11 as it heads to Columbia, SC for the Palmetto State Showdown hosted by the University of South Carolina.
Winthrop will square off against Furman on Friday at 10:30 a.m., face Charleston Southern at 5 p.m. on Saturday and wrap-up the tournament on Sunday with games against Coastal Carolina at 12:30 p.m. and USC Upstate at 3:00 p.m.
The Lady Eagles are coming off their first losing season since 2003, but also their fourth Big South Conference Tournament championship game appearance in the last six seasons. Winthrop looks to build on the momentum from the end of last season and will do so minus its two starting pitchers from the previous four seasons: Cari Wooldridge and Megan Evans, who combined to win 110 games.
Head coach Mark Cooke returns a solid core of players with experience in seniors Veronica Berrie, Ashleigh Jackson and Lauren Levin, juniors Taylor Wright, Megan Chapman and Kelly Blea, as well as sophomores Chelsey Schoenfeldt and Teja Durante. All eight players either started or played significant roles in 2010.
The probable pitchers for the weekend will be Jackson, Schoenfeldt and freshman Natalie Becker. Despite the return of a good amount of experience, Cooke has shuffled the look defensively. The new positions include the following in the infield: Brittany Stoudemire at second base and Kathryn Eberlin at third. Berrie has played most of her career at left field, but will move to center with Durante moving from center to right. That makes room for freshman McKenzie Corn in left. Sophomore Jenna Harbin could also see time in the outfield. The designated player could be Schoenfeldt or Jackson.
Winthrop has won two of its last three season openers and last faced Furman in 2007 at the NCAA Knoxville Regional. Winthrop won the game 11-1 for its first ever NCAA postseason victory. Winthrop and Furman have faced each other 54 times in history, with the Lady Eagles holding a 29-25 all-time lead.
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