Western Illinois Box Score
Buffalo Box Score

ATHENS, GA-- The Eagles' offense combined for 12 runs on 19 hits to earn a 5-2 win over Western Illinois and a 7-6 victory over the University of Buffalo in the first day of the 9^th Annual Georgia Softball Classic.

With the wins, the Eagles improve to 4-2. Western Illinois falls to 2-3 and Buffalo is now 2-4.
Head coach Mark Cooke said, “I cannot be happier or prouder of the performance by the team today. We had tremendous pitching from Natalie Becker in the first and second games. Chelsey Schoenfeldt has been incredible in the batter's box. We executed bunts and hit-and-runs when we needed to. The team is really coming together. They are doing everything they need to be doing. We are looking forward to the rest of the weekend.”

The Eagles jumped out to an early lead on Western Illinois and it was all the cushion that Becker, a sophomore pitcher, needed in the Eagles' first game.

Becker, who struggled a little bit last weekend, dominated against Western Illinois. In her first complete game of the season, she gave up just two runs, two walks and recorded seven strike outs. The first hit for Western Illinois didn't come until the 5^th when Teagan Walsh and Ashley Campbell got back-to-back singles but she ended the threat by getting the next two batters to ground out and then strike out looking.

Things got interesting in the bottom of the 7^th when Becker walked the leadoff batter and eventually had the bases loaded. Western Illinois ended up scoring two runs in the inning but Becker regained her composure and ended the game by getting a fly ball to left field. She is now 2-1 on the year.

The Eagles' offensive attack was a team effort on Friday. McKenzi Corn got things started for the Eagles by drawing a one-out walk and then stealing second base. She scored on a Kathryn Eberlin double. Eberlin advanced to third on a ground ball to second by Schoenfeldt.  Eberlin scored on a throw to second from the catcher trying to throw out Alex White. Melanie Andrea came through again with another RBI single to score White. They scored three runs on two hits in the first and put up eight hits, and five runs in the game. Megan Chapman, Eberlin, Andrea and Kristy Noble each had two hits in the game. The Eagles took the momentum from the win over Western Illinois into their second game today in what turned into an offensive battle with the Buffalo.

The Eagles wasted no time getting on the board in the second game scoring three runs on two hits in the first inning, forcing a pitching change for the Bulls. Chapman led off with a single to left, Corn drew a walk and Eberlin got hit by a pitch loading the bases for the Eagles' best hitter, Schoenfeldt. Schoenfeldt delivered a double down the right field line scoring Chapman and Corn. Andrea hit a deep foul ball to score Eberlin.
It was a team effort by the Eagle pitching staff to defeat the Bulls' offense. Schoenfeldt started the game in the circle for the Eagles. She gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits before she was replaced by Sutton Watson, who pitched two innings and gave up two runs and two hits. Becker relieved Watson in the bottom of the fifth and only gave up one run and two hits to hold the Bulls offense down just enough to earn the win.
The two teams fought the whole game but the Eagles got the timely hits they needed to win. Noble came up big in the top of the fifth inning with her first home run as an Eagle. Her solo shot put the Eagles back in the lead 6-5.

The Bulls came back again and tied the score at 6-6 in the bottom of the fifth inning but Andrea came through with what would be the game winning hit for the second time this season. Mckenzi Corn started the inning with a single to center field. She advanced to second after Schoenfeldt reached on an error by the second baseman. Andrea then singled to left center, scoring Corn making it 7-6 Eagles. The Bulls had multiple opportunities to score in the sixth and seventh innings but pitcher Becker came through again and held on to the lead to earn her first win of the season.

On the day, Chapman had five hits and extended her hitting streak to three games. Andrea had three hits and 3 RBI. Schoenfeldt had three hits and 4 RBI in the second game. Corn had two hits and scored four runs. Corn, White and Eberlin have all reached base in six straight games to open the season.
Winthrop will be back in action Saturday as it faces Tennessee Tech at 3 p.m. and then take on the University of Connecticut at 7 p.m. The Eagles' game on Sunday versus Georgia has been moved from 3 p.m. to 1 p.m.