Game one box score
Game two box score

LYNCHBURG, VA—The Winthrop softball team ended its losing streak with an impressive double-header sweep at Big South Conference foe Liberty, Friday evening. The Eagles started the day with a 1-0 victory followed by a 4-2 win in the nightcap.

With the wins, Winthrop improves to 13-21 overall and 2-4 in the Big South. Liberty is now 9-18 overall and 3-4 in the league.

Head Coach Mark Cooke said after the games, "(Natalie) Becker threw a gorgeous game and Chelsey hit a home run for us in the first game. That was all we needed. We continued the momentum into the second game and executed when we needed to with runners in scoring position to win. I'm very happy with the effort and the drive the team showed today. Excellent job."

Sophomore Natalie Becker tossed a three-hit complete game shutout with four walks and nine strikeouts to earn the win in game one and also snagged in the win in game two in relief as she tossed 2.2 innings allowing a hit with no walks and two strikeouts. Becker is now 7-8 on the year.

Becker battled Alyssa DiMartino in the circle as both had impressive outings but the Eagles were able to find a way to score one in the fourth, which became the game-winning run. The lone run came off the bat of junior Chelsey Schoenfeldt as she led off the inning with a solo shot to center. It was her fourth home run of the season.

The Flames threatened in the bottom of the seventh as Becker led off the inning with a walk to Kelby Allen, who was then sacrificed over to second. However, Becker settled down and got back-to-back ground outs to end the game.

Winthrop scored two runs over the final two innings to take the double-header from Liberty.

Winthrop fell behind early in game two as the Flames led off with a Jill Stephens single followed by single to third base off the bat of Katie Zavodny. Schoenfeldt was able to get Jenny Law hit a grounder to short as Megan Chapman was able to make a throw to third and get the force out. After Kaylee West popped out, Meredith Crisante singled up the middle as Zavodny came around to score for the 1-0 lead.

Winthrop answered right back by taking advantage of some throwing mistakes by the Flames. Alex White reached with a one-out single and Taylor Wright reached on a throwing error by the second baseman, Kelly Strickland. Two batters later, Chapman hit a grounder to short that turned into a throwing error as Wright came around to score and White did too.

In the bottom of the fifth, Liberty tied the game as Crisante hit a deep enough ball to right field to score Law from third.

The eventual winning run for Winthrop came in the sixth inning as Schoenfeldt doubled to left to lead off the inning and came around to score on a sacrifice fly to right field by White. The insurance run in the seventh came right away as Kristy Noble knocked her fourth home run of the season to right center.

Schoenfeldt tossed 4.1 innings allowing two runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts but got a no decision.

White and Schoenfeldt each had three hits on the day.

The two teams will wrap-up the series on Saturday with a single game at 1 p.m.