Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score

ROCK HILL, SC-- The Winthrop Softball team split two close games with Western Carolina, losing the first game 4-3 and winning the second game 6-5, Wednesday afternoon at Terry Field.
 
The Eagles improved to 14-28 on the year. The Catamounts dropped to 14-26.
 
Head Coach Mark Cooke said, “The first game we didn't execute defensively or pitching. The second game we hit the ball really good. We shift the lineup around today in order to get more punch offensively at the top and it paid off. I thought the play of the game in the second one was Chapman getting the runner going to third to avoid two runners in scoring position in the sixth inning. Teja Durante made another big play that saved a run with a diving catch for the third out.”
In game one, Western Carolina got on the scoreboard first in the top of the third. Amelia Griffin got the rally started with a two out single up the middle and a stolen base. Jordan Fulton came up next and reached on an infield single to put runners on first and second base for Erin Foster, the Catamounts' best hitter. She singled through the right side to load the bases. Morgan Wyatt hit a ground ball to Alex White at third base that took a bad hop to score Griffin and put her team in the lead 1-0. Schoenfeldt got out of the inning by getting Amber Steinhardt to ground out.
 
The bottom of the Catamounts' lineup combined to add another run in the top of the fourth inning. Kelly Braman led off the inning with a double down the right field line. She advanced to third on a ground ball to White. She scored on a hard shot from Megan Crowe to Kristy Noble at second base. With the run, the Catamounts took the lead 2-0.
 
The Eagles answered back in the bottom of the fifth inning with three runs on three hits to take the lead 3-2. Mel Andrea drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Sara Allen. With two outs, Megan Chapman came through a single up the middle to score Andrea and advanced to second base on the throw home. She scored on a double off the wall from Mckenzi Corn to tie the game. Corn scored on a hard shot through the left side from Noble to put the Eagles in the lead.
 
Eagle pitcher, Chelsey Schoenfeldt, held the Catamounts in the sixth and recorded a quick strike out to start the seventh inning before Western Carolina scored two runs on three hits with two outs to take back the lead 4-3. Griffin singled to left field with one out to start the rally, her third hit of the day. She got out at second on a ground ball from Fulton to Noble at second base. Fulton reached on the fielder's choice and advanced to second after Foster walked. Wyatt singled up the middle to load the bases for Steinhardt. She hit a shot to left center that slipped through the legs of Corn to score Fulton and Foster.
Schoenfeldt pitched seven innings allowing three earned runs on 10 hits with a walk and eight strikeouts, but fell to 5-15 on the year.
  
Natalie Becker started the second game in the circle for the Eagles and gave up one run on two hits after recording two quick strike outs in the top of the first. Foster got the Catamounts offense going with a double down the left field line. Wyatt followed with a walk to put runners on first and second for the hero of the first game, Steinhardt. She hit a fly ball just out of the reach of Noble to score Foster to give Western Carolina an early 1-0 lead. 
 
The Catamounts were able to add another run in the top of the second inning. Becker struggled to find the strike zone issued a lead-off walk to Haley Pace who advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Chastain. She advanced to third and scored on back to back wild pitches from Becker. Makenzi McAteer drew the second walk of the inning and advanced to second base on a bunt from Griffin. She stole third base but was stranded there after Fulton fouled out to left field.
 
Western Carolina scored again in the top of the third inning off the bat of Foster. She led off the inning with a huge solo home run over the center field fence to put her team in the lead 3-0. Becker settled down and got Wyatt, Steinhardt and Braman out to end the inning.
 
Winthrop's offense exploded in the bottom of the third inning and scored five runs on four hits to take the lead 5-3. Durante led off the inning and reached after getting hit by the pitch. Chapman advanced her to third with a double to right center. Corn singled up the middle to score Durante and Chapman. She advanced to second base after Noble drew a walk. Schoenfeldt singled through the right side to load the bases with no outs for Blea. Blea drew a walk to score Corn and tie the game. After both Andrea and White reached on fielder's choices, Wright came through with a two RBI line drive single to right field to put the Eagles in the lead.  
 
The Catamounts threatened in the fourth inning but Becker got out of the jam with the help of her defense. Pace singled through the left side to lead off and got to second on another bunt from Chastain. McAteer popped out to Chapman for the second out and Durante made an incredible diving catch on a gap shot from Griffin for the third out of the inning.
 
The Eagles added another run to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Chapman singled to left field and got to second on a sacrifice bunt from Corn. She came around to score on a double from Noble to make the score 6-3.
 
Becker's struggles continued in the fifth and sixth inning but she managed to get out of a couple of jams and hold the Catamounts to three runs until the seventh inning. Foster led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Ashley Jones, pinch hitting for Wyatt, drew a walk to put runners on first and second base. Steinhardt, representing the tying run, fouled out to Blea behind the plate for the first out of the inning. Braman followed with a single through the left side to load the bases. Foster scored on a wild pitch from Becker to make the score 6-4. Becker then walked Pace to load the bases again and was replaced by Schoenfeldt. Schoenfeldt gave up one run but struck out Crowe looking to end the game and get the save for the Eagles.
Becker earned the win and improved to 8-12 after allowing four runs on seven hits with eight walks and four strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Schoenfeldt earned her first career save as she recorded the last two outs of the game.
 
On the day, Chapman and Noble each had three hits. Noble also had two RBIs along with Corn and Wright. Blea and Schoenfeldt each recorded two hits in the second game. Chapman has now hit safely in six straight games while Corn and Noble have five-game hitting streaks.
 
The Eagles will look to take this momentum into their doubleheader against Gardner-Webb on Saturday, April 14, at 1 p.m.