Box Score

HONOLULU, HI—The Winthrop softball team fell 7-1 to sixth-ranked Texas in its first game of the Hawaii Spring Fling Invitational.

With the loss today, the Eagles overall record dropped to 11-11. The Longhorns improve to 21-1 on the year.

"We played well but our nerves and inexperience showed today,” said Winthrop head coach Mark Cooke. “We battled back in the 7th inning break up the no hitter and I was proud of that."

It was a team effort from the Eagles pitching staff to hold off the Longhorns' bats. Sutton Watson started the game but only pitched to three hitters. She got the lead-off batter to ground out, gave up a walk and a home run before being replaced by Natalie Becker. Becker pitched the majority of the game and in four innings of work she recorded five strikeouts. Chelsey Schoenfeldt came in to try to get Becker out of a jam in the fifth inning with the bases loaded but ended up giving up a two RBI single before getting a ground ball to second to end the threat.

It looked like Longhorn pitcher Kim Bruin was going to throw a perfect game until 7th inning when McKenzi Corn ruined it with a one-out single to right center. Christine Dewitt pinched-hit for Kathryn Eberlin and drew a walk to advance Corn to second. Chelsey Schoenfeldt followed Dewitt with a fielder's choice to the shortstop to put runners on first and third for Mel Andrea, who came through with an RBI single to right center, spoiling the Longhorns' 14^th shutout of the season.

Corn, with the lone hit, extended her hitting streak to four games.

Winthrop will be back in action Thursday night with a single game against 21^st-ranked Texas A&M at 5 p.m. (EST).