Western Kentucky Box Score
South Carolina Box Score

COLUMBIA, SC-The Eagles fought hard in close to freezing temperatures at the Palmetto Classic against Western Kentucky and the University of South Carolina but couldn't get hits to fall with runners in scoring position.

Winthrop suffered an 8-5 loss to Western Kentucky and 8-1 to South Carolina as it falls to 1-2 on the year as Western Kentucky and USC improved to 2-1.

After both games, Head Coach Mark Cooke said, "We played hard and hit the ball hard but we left a small army on base today. Overall, I was pleased with the games today and I think we are moving in the right direction."

Junior Melanie Andrea, senior Megan Chapman and junior Chelsey Schoenfeldt continued to lead the Eagle offensive attack in the 1st game against Western Kentucky. Andrea recorded her 3rd RBI and 2nd hit on the year. Chapman had three hits, including a triple and two bunts for hits, and scored two runs. Schoenfeldt added two more hits and two RBI and is off to a hot start with six hits in 10 at-bats.

Other notable offensive contributions came from sophomore Alex White who got her 1st career hit and RBI with a single to center and fielder's choice RBI as well as Sophomore McKenzi Corn who walked twice, scored twice and laid down a bunt for a hit.  

Even though the Eagles scored five runs off 10 hits in the game, it wasn't enough to stop the WKU Hilltoppers. Sophomore Natalie Becker had a rough start giving up a walk and a two-run home run in the 1st. She held them until the 3rd and was replaced by freshman Sutton Watson with one out and the bases loaded. Watson gave up a sacrifice fly and a two-run double and gave way to freshman Sara Allen in the circle. Allen struggled as well before Becker was put back in the game to get the Eagles out of the inning with a strike out. After three innings, the score was 7-3, in favor of the Hilltoppers.

The Eagles battled back and scored two more runs but it wasn't enough to win. Coach Cooke said after this game, "This was a knock out, drag down fight between these two teams. They are a good ball club that beat Michigan last year and we played them well. We are looking forward to playing USC."

The USC game did not turn out how Coach Cooke would have liked but he wasn't disappointed in the effort of the Eagles in the 2nd game today.

USC was the visiting team and started the game by scoring four runs on five hits off of Chelsey Schoenfeldt who was replaced by Sutton Watson after 2/3 of an inning. Watson got USC's outfielder Lauren Lackey to fly out to end the inning.

As for the Eagle offense against USC, there were five hits in the game, two from Schoenfeldt, one from Andrea and one from Freshman Kristy Noble, her first hit as an Eagle. The Eagles left 10 runners on base which was the difference in the game.

Becker relieved Watson in the 6th inning and the Gamecocks went on to score two runs off one hit. They added more two runs in the 7th innings off of three hits. The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the 7th but couldn't seem to make any hits fall in. The final score was 8-1, in favor of USC.

Coach Cooke said after this game, "We left too many runners on but we put the ball in play. That's what counts." Against SEC competition, hitting the ball hard is a good sign for what is to come for the Eagles this season. Tomorrow, they face Tennesee State, a team that beat USC 4-2 in their home opener.

Winthrop will wrap-up play at the Palmetto Classic on Sunday when it faces Tennessee State. The game time was scheduled for 3 p.m., but has been pushed back to 4 p.m. for poor and cold weather conditions expected in the morning.