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RADFORD, VA— After suffering an 8-0 loss in five innings to top-seeded Radford, Winthrop battled back but ended up falling 10-9 to fourth-seeded Campbell in a hard fought elimination game, Thursday Big South Softball Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting and Brookwood Farms BBQ.

"We showed a lot of class tonight in the way that we battled back to the last out," said head coach Mark Cooke. "It's something we have done all year. We hit the ball the best we did in a long time and credit to our seniors as they went out hitting in their final at bats. You have to give a lot of credit to Campbell. They hit the ball hard and their shortstop made nice plays."

Trailing 10-6 heading into its final at-bat, Winthrop (16-39) made a charge to try and tie the game. The Eagles manufactured their first run off a wild pitch that allowed pinch-runner Carole Reda to score, making it 10-7. Kenzi Corn lined one to third that was mishandled for an error and all runners were safe as Taylor Wright, who had a pinch-hit single, came around to score on the play. Kristy Noble then reached on an error by the third baseman and Corn moved to second to load the bases again as the team's RBI leader stepped up with just one out. Chelsey Schoenfeldt drilled a ball to left field, but it was caught and one run was able to come around to score to pull within a run before Campbell's Christina Melton recorded a strikeout to end the game.

After tying the game at 5-5 in the fourth, Campbell answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning highlighted by back-to-back home runs by Sarah Forgacs and Christina Melton. Forgacs hit a two-out, two-run shot over the right field fence for an 8-5 lead and Metlon made it 9-5 as she drove one over the fence in center.

Facing elimination, Winthrop came out swinging after struggling offensively against Radford. Megan Chapman led off with a single, her third hit of the day, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Noble stepped to the plate with an RBI chance and made sure of it as she belted a two-run shot over the left field wall. Schoenfeldt followed with a home run to center field to make it 3-0 Eagles.

Campbell inched its way back with two runs in the bottom of the first inning as Camise Patterson hit a two-run home run to left field after Ericka Nesbitt led off the inning with a bunt single. The home run was Patterson's first of her career.

Natalie Becker got off to a rough start for the second time on the day as she lasted just 0.2 innings after Campbell worked its way to runners at first and second with two outs. Sara Allen relieved Becker and then moved the runners over with a wild pitch before getting a grounder to end the threat.

In the bottom of the second, Campbell continued to swing the bat well as Shaela Churchill got things going with one away. Nesbitt singled off the glove of Allen to put runners at first and second. Allen struck out Patterson for the second out but ran into trouble. Stephanie Jones singled and moved to second on the throw as Churchill scored from second and Nesbitt moved to third. After issuing a walk to Taylor McGee, Forgacs singled to center to score two more runs for a 5-3 lead.

Winthrop tied the game in the top of the fourth as it loaded the bases with no outs. Corn singled up the middle to pull Winthrop within a run and then two batters later Schoenfeldt walked to tie the game, her 31^st RBI on the year.

Winthrop's seniors played a large role in the final game of their careers. Reda and Wright each came around to score after they reached on a pinch-hit single in the 7^th. Chapman had two hits in the game and two runs as she finished with four hits on the afternoon and with the two runs reached 100 in her career. And the Eagles other senior, Blea, had two hits against the Camels.

Schoenfeldt finished with two hits and three RBI against Campbell while Noble had two RBI. Corn also had two hits and an RBI.  

Winthrop used four pitchers in the game as Schoenfeldt tossed 2.1 innings, Watson 2.0 innings, Allen one inning and Becker 0.2 innings. Watson suffered the loss as she fell to 1-2 on the year.

Winthrop pounded out 13 hits and left 11 runners on base as it was the third most hits in a game for the Eagles this season.

In the Eagles first game of the day, Radford jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Winthrop had threatened in the top of the first as Megan Chapman reached on an error to leadoff the game and then moved to second on a ground out by Corn to get into scoring position with one out. Noble grounded out to third base, but Chapman still managed to make her way to third base on the play. Schoenfeldt stepped in for an RBI opportunity but her line drive toward short was snagged by Radford shortstop Nichole Beall to end the inning.

Becker ran into trouble in the bottom of the first when after walking the leadoff batter Nichole Beall (Big South Player of the Year), who immediately stole second to get into scoring position. Becker forced Hannah Ojeda into a ground out for the first out, but then walked Vicki Madden to put runners at first and second. It looked like Becker might avoid any damage as she struck out Micalah Sacre for the second out. Michelle Beall stepped in and came through as she reached for an outside pitch and just dropped in a single down the right field line over the head of first baseman Kathryn Eberlin. Then Jessie Hutchens stepped up and ripped a home run to right center for a 4-0 lead.

Radford added three more runs in the bottom of the third. Michelle Beall led off with a walk, but Schoenfeldt retired the next two batters before Ryndee Ruch singled to right center. With runners at the corners, Morgan Eye singled to right center for a 5-0 lead. Eye went to second on the throw to put runners at second and third for Nichole Beall. Head coach Mark Cooke chose to intentionally walk Nichole Beall to load the bases. However, Schoenfeldt hit the next batter on a 1-1 pitch as Radford took a 6-0 lead. At that point Cooke replaced Schoenfeldt with Sara Allen in the circle but she hit the first batter she faced on a 3-1 pitch to make it 7-0. The threat ended as Allen forced a grounder by Micalah Sacre down the third base line, which was snagged by Alex White and she stepped on third for the final out.

Winthrop got runners in scoring position in the fourth inning as Eberlin singled up the middle with one away. Becker then reached on an error to put runners at first and second. Wright replaced Blea as a pinch-hitter and ripped a ball to right field, but it was hauled in by Eye in right field and then White popped up to second to end the threat.

Madden ended the game in the bottom of the fifth as she hit a soft liner to right field with runners at first and second. Noble made a diving effort to make the catch but the ball just hit off the end of her glove to fall for a base hit. That scored Nichole Beall from second base to make it 8-0 and end the game in the fifth inning due to the mercy rule.

Chapman mad two of the three hits for Winthrop as Eberlin had the other as Winthrop stranded seven runners.

Becker took the loss as she falls to 10-15 on the year as she allowed four runs on two hits with two walks and a strikeout. Schoenfeldt tossed two innings of relief allowing three runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout. It was a tough day for Eagle pitching as all eight runs scored by Radford came with two outs.

Jackie Jenkins, the Big South Conference Pitcher of the Year, tossed her second straight shutout against the Eagles after allowing no runs on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts to improve to 16-8 on the year.
Cooke said Jenkins turned in a strong performance. “Jenkins did a great job shutting us down today. Radford showed why it is the No. 1 seed. When they put the ball in play they hit it hard. The three-run inning took all the air out of us.”