Tennessee Box Score

Boston Box Score

CLEARWATER, FL- The Winthrop softball team pulled off the school's first ever win over a Top 10 team as it rallied to defeat ninth-ranked Tennessee, 2-1, in its opening game as the Lady Eagles split on Friday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The win also marked the 700^th career win for head coach Mark Cooke.

After upsetting the Lady Vols, the Lady Eagles had little time to celebrate as they had to take on Boston 30 minutes after the victory and ended up falling 3-0. Winthrop is now 5-5 overall and the victory is the first ever over Tennessee in four tries. Tennessee is now 7-3 on the year and Boston is 1-1.

After defeating Tennessee and reaching the 700-win milestone, head coach Mark Cooke was thrilled for the team. “It was just a great win. The kids played great. It's a good day, the team just played terrific. We made great defensive play after great defensive play and Chelsey Schoenfeldt threw great ball game. Becker did a good job slamming the door. We're riding high right now. We didn't play bad against Boston, just didn't hit the ball in the in the right spots.”

With their backs against the wall, the Lady Eagles managed to score two in the top of 7^th inning. Schoenfeldt started the inning with a leadoff walk, followed by a single to right field by Mel Andrea. Runners on 1^st and 2^nd for the Eagles, no outs forced the Lady Vols to make a pitching change. Ellen Renfroe was called in relief for her sister (Ivy Renfroe, who started the game) and got Alex White to ground into a fielder's choice for the 1^st out in the inning but she then threw a wild pitch that allowed Schoenfeldt to score the tying run for the Eagles. Renfroe got Kristy Noble to strike out for the 2^nd out in the inning but then threw another pitch in the dirt that got away from her catcher that allowed White to score what would be the winning run in the game.

The Eagles' winning pitcher was Schoenfeldt, who gave an outstanding performance in the circle. After giving up a run in the bottom of the 1^st inning, Schoenfeldt, along with help from the Eagles' defense and Natalie Becker, didn't give up any more runs to the Lady Vols. The Lady Vols, who averaged 5.4 runs per game coming into the game, did not go down without a fight and loaded the bases twice in the game.  

The first bases loaded threat by the Lady Vols came in the 5^th inning. With one out and runners at the corners, Ashley Andrews came up to the plate. Schoenfeldt was able to get her to ground out back to the pitcher and that brought up Lauren Gibson. The Lady Eagles walked Gibson intentionally to load the bases and take their chances with Madison Shipman and it paid off as she lined out to second to end the inning.

After the Eagles took the lead, the Lady Vols made them earn it as they loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh. After hits by Raven Chavanne and Ashley Andrews, Schoenfeldt was replaced by Natalie Becker who walked the bases loaded but managed to hold on and get Kat Dotson to pop out to end the game and get the save. It was her second save of the season.

On the day, Schoenfeldt gave up 10 hits, 1 walk, 1 strike out and only 1 earned run. Flawless defense and poise in the circle from the two veterans of the Eagles' pitching staff combined in this landmark win for the softball program.

Winthrop suffered a 3-0 loss in the evening at the hands of Boston, as its starting pitcher Holli Floetker. The sophomore pitcher allowed the Eagles just three hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

The Eagles got a runner in scoring position a couple of times, but never got its offense going as it was shutout for the first time this season.

Andrea was 1-for-4 on the day and has a streak of six games in which she's reached base. Chapman was the only Winthrop player to record two hits on the day.

Winthrop will continued play at the Leadoff Classic on Saturday when it takes on DePaul at 1 p.m. followed by a contest at 3:30 p.m. against Illinois.