CONWAY, SC— After missing out on several chances to take the lead in the first three innings, Winthrop suffered an 8-0 loss in six innings at Coastal Carolina, Sunday afternoon in Big South Conference softball action.
Coastal Carolina didn't get much offense over the first five innings, but posted eight runs to end the game an inning early thanks to a grand slam to cap off the eight-run inning.
The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when Sarah Maples came through with a bases loaded single on a short hopper to the wall in left that scored two runs. Chelsea Pineda singled up the middle with one out and was replaced at first by pinch-runner Courtney Howell. Michelle Evans singled to short to put runners at the corners. Chelsey Schoenfeldt intentionally walked Jazmin Daigle to load the bases and set up a force out at any bag, but Maples ripped a shot to left field for the lead. Cacia Pierre singled to load the bases and Stacy Snellings followed with a single to right that made it 4-0. After Olivia Piccirillo was hit with a pitch and Brooke Donovan walked to load the bases, Jessie Winans cleared them with a home run to right center to end the game. It was just the second home run of the season for Winans.
The loss drops the Eagles to 12-24 overall and now 2-6 in the Big South as Coastal Carolina takes the weekend series and improves to 16-22 overall and 2-3 in the league.
In the top of the first inning Megan Chapman led off with an infield single as the shortstop dove to haul in the grounder, but Chapman was easily safe on the throw. Jenna Harbin followed with a single to left for runners at first and second. Kathryn Eberlin hit a grounder to short, which led to Chapman getting forced out at third for the first out. Schoenfeldt ripped the first pitch she saw to right field, but Harbin had to hold up at third as the bases were loaded for Brittany Stoudemire. The senior second baseman was caught looking as the pitch caught the outside part of the plate for the second out and then Veronica Berrie hit a grounder to second that led to a force out to end the threat.
The second inning saw the Eagles strand two more runners. Kelly Blea walked with one out and moved to second base on a Teja Durante single through the middle. Courtney Gaddy replaced Blea at second as a pinch-runner and for the second straight inning Winthrop had a runner out heading to third as the shortstop tagged Gaddy on a grounder by Chapman. Then Harbin singled to right, but Durante was thrown out at home trying to score as Ashley Pisone made a perfect throw to the plate.
Coastal threatened in the bottom half of the second with back-to-back singles by Daigle and Maples. Both runners moved over on an illegal pitch to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Pierre hit a grounder to second and pinch-runner Nicole Saggiomo tried to score from third, but Stoudemire's throw nailed her at the plate to keep the game scoreless. Stacy Snellings walked to load the bases with two outs, but Schoenfeldt got Piccirillo to ground out to short to end the threat.
Coastal made changes to start the third as Ashley Bagwell came into pitch along with a couple of defensive moves. Schoenfeldt got the only hit of the third as she was stranded and the Eagles offense was slowed down by Bagwell after five hits through the first two innings and close to breaking through. Both teams went 1-2-3 in the fourth inning, which was the first time all game for Winthrop and second for Coastal.
Bagwell sent the Eagles down in order in the top of the fifth and Coastal had a chance to break the scoreless tie as Stacy Snellings doubled to left with one out. Schoenfeldt got Piccirillo to line out to third and Brooke Donovan to ground out to short.
Schoenfeldt suffered the loss as she falls to 6-8 on the year after allowing eight runs on nine hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Coastal had just three hits over the first five innings.
Bagwell earns the win as she held Winthrop to one hit over the final four innings with no walks and four strikeouts to improve to 8-9.
Schoenfeldt went 2-for-3 in the game and extended her hitting streak to 10 games as she now has at least two or more hits in six of her last seven games. Harbin also had two hits in the game.
Winthrop will look to get back on track when it heads to Boiling Springs, NC for a double-header starting at 2 p.m. against Gardner-Webb.
