ROCK HILL, SC—Charleston Southern scored 10 runs over three innings as it handed Winthrop a 10-1 loss in six innings, Monday evening in Big South Conference softball action at Terry Field.
The loss is the fourth straight for the Eagles and gives Charleston Southern a series sweep as the Buccaneers have won all four meetings this season.
Winthrop falls to 14-28 overall and 4-10 in the Big South while Charleston Southern is now 20-27 overall and 7-5 in the league.
Leading 1-0 after three innings, Charleston Southern posted two in the fourth, three in the fifth and five runs in the sixth.
The fourth started off with Megan Lombard reaching on an error by Megan Chapman at short as she couldn't control the ground ball. Lizzy Olmstead replaced Lombard as a pinch-runner at first and moved to second on a ground out by Erin Kegley. Jessica Brock followed that with a single to right to put runners at the corners. Jana Matthews tied the game when she ripped a shot at short that hit just off the glove of Chapman diving to make the play.
Starter Chelsey Schoenfeldt got the next batter to ground to second, but Brittany Stoudemire's throw to Chapman at second base missed and rolled to the fence in left field. That allowed Brock to come around and score and put runners on first and second. Then Natalie Becker came in to replace Schoenfeldt in the pitcher's circle and got Stephanie Sbardella to ground into a double play to end the inning.
Charleston Southern was at it again in the fifth inning as a two-run home run highlighted a three-run inning. Hayes Holdsworth scored the first run of the inning on a wild pitch from Becker.
The fifth inning started when Steele was hit by a pitch and Ari Tedesco came in as a pinch-runner for Steele at first. Tedesco stole second and then pinch-hitter Courtney Konyk reached on an error by Chapman. Holdsworth then walked on a 3-1 count to load the bases. Becker got Melissa Adams to hit a grounder to short where Chapman was able to throw home for the force out. Kimberly Braxton delivered a soft single to left to make it 6-1 and then Lombard ripped a long single to the gap in left center, scoring Adams and Holdsworth. The lead extended to 10-1 after Adams walked with the bases loaded.
Winthrop had chances early to jump on the Buccaneers for more than the one run it posted in the second inning. The Eagles led off the first inning with a first pitch rip to left center by Chapman. After Teja Durante fouled out on a sacrifice attempt, Kathryn Eberlin reached on an error by the third baseman to put runners at first and second with one out. Chelsey walked to load the bases for Brittany Stoudemire. Stoudemire took the count to full and then rippled a line drive to short that turned into a double play as the throw to third caught Chapman too far off the bag.
In the second inning, Winthrop got the lead runner on base again when Veronica Berrie reached on an error. Courtney Gaddy pinch-ran for Berrie and moved to second when Kelly Blea ripped a shot off the pitchers glove that slowed the ball up enough for the shortstop to not be able to make the play. Ashleigh Jackson then walked to load the bases for the second time in the game as McKenzie Corn stepped in. Corn hit a soft chopper to the first baseman who got the force out at home, but Kegley faked a throw to first and threw the ball down to third as she nailed Blea over running the bag for out number two. Chapman came through with a single to right field, scoring Jackson from second for the lead.
Schoenfeldt extended her hitting streak to 16 games in the third inning when she ripped a double down the right field line. Stoudemire followed with a walk to put runners at first and second with one out. However, Berrie flied out to left and Blea grounded into a force out at third to strand the runners. The Eagles left six runners on base in the first three innings and had the bases loaded twice.
Schoenfeldt took the loss as she falls to 7-11 on the year after allowing two runs (no earned) on four hits with no walks and two strikeouts in three and one-third innings.
Morgan Dowdy started for Charleston Southern but didn't factor into the decision as she allowed one run on four hits with two walks and no strikeouts in two and one-third innings. Kimberly Hobbs earned the win and is now 12-11 on the year after allowing no runs on two hits with a walk and seven strikeouts in three and two-third innings.
Chapman finished with three hits, but was the only Winthrop player with more than one.
Brock finished the game with three hits and Lombard had two.
Winthrop will be back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Gardner-Webb at 5 p.m. in its final regular season home game. Charleston Southern will host College of Charleston on Wednesday, April 20 in a double-header beginning at 2 p.m.
