ROCK HILL, SC— A three-run fifth inning lifted Winthrop to a 5-1 victory over second-seeded Liberty, Thursday afternoon on the opening day of the Big South Conference Softball Championship presented by Musco Lighthing.
After sophomore Chelsey Schoenfeldt singled home Teja Durante for a 2-1 lead, Winthrop took advantage of a Flames miscue. Liberty catcher Keeley McMillon had a fast ball up in the zone go right off the top of the glove and to the backstop. That allowed Kathryn Eberlin to score from third base and pinch-runner McKenzie Corn saw an opportunity to round third and score on the play. McMillon tracked the ball down and made a throw toward pitcher Tiffani Smith as she covered home plate, but Kathryn Eberlin slid into home plate and the ball got away. Corn, who rounded third, took off for home plate as she put Winthrop in front 4-1.
“I felt the key to the game were the runs scored on the passed ball,” said Winthrop head coach Mark Cooke. “Corn read the play perfectly. Those are the types of plays that can shift momentum and it did in our favor.”
After the Eagles had a good opportunity to get on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning, Liberty managed to get a run across for an early 1-0 lead. Ashely Besinger led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jenny Law. Meredith Crisante put runners on the corners with a single through the right side. Crisante stole second to give the Lady Flames two runners in scoring position. Kaylee West's RBI brought home Besinger.
Jenna Harbin came through with two outs in the top of the fourth as her single to left plated Brittany Stoudemire from second. Stoudemire and Ashleigh Jackson singled back-to-back with two outs to put a runner in scoring position.
Schoenfeldt added some insurance in the top of the seventh inning as she ripped her seventh home run of the season over the right field fence. The sophomore pitcher tossed a complete game allowing one run on five hits with a walk and a strikeout to improve to 9-15 on the season.
Schoenfeldt also finished 2-for-4 at the plate while Kelly Blea and Stoudemire also collected two hits.
Katrina Johnson suffered the loss for Liberty as she allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
It's the fourth time in the past five seasons that Winthrop has won its opening game of the Big South Conference Tournament. Winthrop is now 6-5 all-time against Liberty in conference tournament action.
Winthrop will face sixth-seeded Gardner-Webb at 5:30 p.m. Thursday evening. The winner of the game will play on Friday at 12:30 p.m. for a right to advance to Saturday's championship game.
