WOODSTOCK, GA— The Winthrop softball team dropped a couple of tough extra-inning games Friday at the opening day of the Buzz Classic hosted by Georgia Tech.
After falling 4-3 in eight innings to Drexel to start the day, Winthrop suffered another eight inning loss when it was defeated 3-2 by Niagara.
The Purple Eagles scored the winning run in the top of the eighth after on an RBI single from Kayla Hines.
Winthrop took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Ashleigh Jackson belted her first home run of the season and 14th of her career. Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, Lauren Levin delivered a pinch-hit single that scored Paige Hartfield, who pinch-ran for Jenna Harbin.
Natalie Becker suffered the loss and is now 2-6 as she relieved starter Jackson in the fifth inning. Becker allowed one earned run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in three and a third innings of work. Jackson tossed four and two-third innings allowing one earned run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
“We're just not putting the ball in play very hard,” said head coach Mark Cooke. “We're getting better. It was a couple of great games. We'll just try to get on track and we're just having a longer learning curve with so many young kids and players in new positions.”
Julie DiMatteo started for the Purple Eagles, but didn't factor in the decision as she tossed five and one-third innings allowing two runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Bri Allen relieved DiMatteo in the sixth inning and earned the win as she didn't allow a hit or run with no walks and two strikeouts in two and two-thirds.
Winthrop lost to Drexel in the first game of the day in extra innings, on a walk-off single down the left field line by Hillary Allen. Winthrop had gone up 3-2 in the top of the eighth as Brittany Stoudemire, who was placed on second due to the international tie-breaker rules, scored on a single by Jenna Harbin.
Drexel tied the game in the bottom of the eighth when Kelly Downes scored on a bases loaded walk. Becker, who came in relieve of Chelsey Schoenfeldt in the fifth inning, walked three straight batters with two outs to tie the game. Then Allen came through with the hit.
Schoenfeldt put Winthrop in front in the top of the first inning as she came through with an RBI single to left, scoring Megan Chapman that reached on a single and stole second.
The Dragons then scored a run in the second to tie the game and took the lead with another run in the third. Paige Collings led off the second inning with a double and came around to score on a fielder's choice. Laura Stagliano singled home a run in the third inning for the lead.
In the fifth inning, it was Taylor Wright come through with two outs as she singled to left, scoring Chapman who reached on a single and stole second. It was the first time in her career that Chapman stole two bases in the same game.
Winthrop stranded 11 base runners in the loss to the Dragons.
Allen got the win as she allowed just two earned runs on 11 hits with two walks and four strikeouts as she's now 2-2 on the year.
Chapman, Schoenfeldt and Stoudemire each finished with two hits while Chapman also had two runs. Becker took the loss as she allowed one earned run on one hit with four walks and seven strikeouts and is now 2-5 on the year.
Winthrop will face Niagara at 11 a.m. on Saturday and then take on the University of Alabama-Birmingham at 4 p.m.
