ROCK HILL, SC— Winthrop fell behind 5-1 early and couldn't recover as it dropped the final game of the series with Liberty, 7-2 Sunday afternoon at Terry Field.
The game, televised on ESPNU, got away from the Eagles early as Liberty jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second and extended it to 5-0 after batting in the third.
Kelly Strickland led off the second with a single to right and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jill Stephens. Jenny Law followed with a single to right field to put runners at the corners. Law stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Kaylee West and she came through. West pulled a pitch through first and second for the 1-0 lead. Winthrop had a chance to get out of the inning down 1-0, but a throwing error on a grounder by Brittany Stoudemire at second and Law scored for a 2-0 lead.
Liberty (11-14, 3-2 Big South) added three more runs in the top of the third for a 5-0 lead. Ashley Bensinger singled to left field with one out and Strickland was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Stephens came through with a single down the left field line, scoring Bensinger for a 3-0 lead. West made it 4-0 as she reached on a fielder's choice as her grounder to short resulted in a force out at third for the second out. Amber DePasquale singled to right on a 3-2 pitch to push the lead to five runs.
Winthrop (9-22, 1-4 Big South) got one back in the bottom of the third as Chelsey Schoenfeldt ripped a double to right, scoring Megan Chapman after she led off the inning with a single and stole second.
Liberty answered right back with two more runs as Strickland picked up an RBI single and Bridgett Woods drove in a run on a ground out to first base with a runner at third.
In the fifth it was Schoenfeldt again as she singled up the middle to score, scoring McKenzie Corn to make it 7-2.
In the second inning, Winthrop had a good chance to get on the scoreboard as it loaded the bases with two outs, but pinch-hitter Lauren Levin grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning. Winthrop left a total of eight runners stranded on the day.
Katrina Johnson improved to 7-4 on the year as she allowed two runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. Schoenfeldt suffered the loss for Winthrop as she falls to 4-7 after allowing four earned runs on five hits with a walk and no strikeouts in two and one-third innings.
Law, Strickland and Keely McMillon each finished with two hits on the day while West finished with two RBI.
Schoenfeldt was one of three Eagles with two hits as she also had both RBI. Chapman and Stoudemire also had two hits.
Winthrop will be back in action on Wednesday at 4 p.m. as it takes on Western Carolina in a double-header in Cullowhee, NC.
