ROCK HILL, S.C. – The 2011 softball season came to an end for the Eagles Friday afternoon as it fell victim to a no-hit performance by Liberty's Tiffani Smith in a 3-0 loss in an elimination game of the Big South Conference Championship presented by Musco Lighthing.
The Eagles finish the season with a 16-36 overall record. Liberty improved to 27-28 overall.
Smith improved to 11-12 overall on the season as she allowed the Eagles just two base runners with a walk in the fourth and another in the seventh. Smith finished with nine strikeouts as she tossed her second career no-hitter.
Meredith Cristante and Kelly Strickland each hit solo home runs in the fourth inning to put Liberty in front 2-0.
Crisante made it 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning when she hit an opposite field line drive home run. It was also her ninth home run of the season.
"Nothing to say when you get no-hit and they hit three home runs. You have to give credit to Tiffani, Meredith and Kelly as they did what they had to do. It is surely a disappointing end for our seniors."
The first runner to reach base for Winthrop came in the fourth inning when Megan Chapman drew a lead-off walk, but was eventually picked-off at first. The other base runner came in the seventh inning when Smith issued a two-out walk to Kathryn Eberlin, but got Chelsey Schoenfeldt to ground out to third to end the game.
Veronica Berrie, Brittany Stoudemire, Ashleigh Jackson and Lauren Levin played in their final games in a Winthrop uniform. Berrire, Stoudemire and Levin were all members of the 2008 squad that won the Big South Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Regional.
