COLUMBIA, SC— Charleston Southern hit a grand slam to highlight a seven-run fifth inning that broke a 3-3 tie as it handed Winthrop its first loss of the season in an 11-4 victory Saturday evening in the Palmetto State Showdown at Beckham Field on the campus of the University of South Carolina.
Winthrop (1-1) trailed 3-0 after the first before it tied the game in the bottom of the third inning. Then Charleston Southern exploded for seven runs, all off of Winthrop's Chelsey Schoenfeldt. It started with one out in the inning as Stephanie Sbardella doubled to left center and scored on the next play when Melanie Stickney tripled to right center. Stickney then scored on a fielder's choice to make the game 5-3 in favor of the Buccaneers.
“Defense was bad,” said head coach Mark Cooke. “Offense was ok. Pitching was bad. We are learning to grow without Megan Evans and Cari Wooldridge around. Our pitchers are just going to have to learn how to get tougher. We just need experience for those three on the mound.”
Schoenfeldt recorded the second out of the inning as she struck out Jasmine Conley, but then ran into more trouble after she walked Megan Lombard to load the bases. At that point Erin Kegley stepped in and took the first pitch over the left field fence for a 10-3 lead.
Charleston Southern took the 3-0 lead in the top of the first behind a bases-loaded walk and a two-run double off the bat of Sbardella.
Lauren Levin started the comeback with a single and was replaced on the bases when she advanced to second on a ground out by Kathryn Eberlin. Megan Chapman followed with a single to center, scoring Paige Hartfield from second. Chapman later scored on a throwing error and Taylor Wright tied the game with an RBI single to center.
Wright finished the game with two hits. Ashleigh Jackson started the game in the circle, but only recorded one out as she allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits with two walks. Schoenfeldt suffers the loss as she allowed the seven runs in four and one-third innings. Freshman Natalie Becker tossed the final two and one-third innings as she allowed one run on two hits with no walks and a career-best six strikeouts.
Schoenfeldt did add the fourth run of the game for Winthrop as she drove in Teja Durante with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Winthrop completes the weekend at the Palmetto State Showdown on Sunday with two games. The Lady Eagles will face Coastal Carolina at 12:30 p.m. and then face USC Upstate at 3 p.m.
