BUIES CREEK, NC— Winthrop senior Kelsey Ritter battled through a 13-pitch at-bat as she drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Eagles a 3-2 walk-off win over Campbell, Friday afternoon on the second day of the Big South Conference Softball Championship.

The Eagles advance to play the loser of Charleston Southern and Longwood at 7 p.m. Friday night in an elimination game. Winthrop improved to 26-24 on the year, ensuring its second consecutive season with a winning record. With the win, head coach Mark Cooke becomes the Big South Conference all-time leader in tournament victories with 49.

"These are the cardiac kids of the world," said Cooke. "I know my heart is strong after this season as many times as we've been in this situation and not having suffered a heart attack. Winning in the seventh inning has something we've become accustom to as these kids play hard and don't quit. I'm happy for our kids today after yesterday and all the errors it was nice to clean it up today."

Winthrop and Campbell met four time this season with the Eagles winning three of the four with walk-offs and it was the second time by Ritter. She had a walk-off home run in the regular season series opener.

Ritter's at-bat included six two-strike foul balls as she battled from a 0-2 count to earn the walk. Winthrop started the inning with a walk from K.J. Uyeno to get the winning run aboard. Zharne Glover followed with a bunt single as she pushed the ball between the third baseman and shortstop for the hit. That brought up Paige Haley who popped out to third before Shayna Covington fouled off six straight pitches before getting a single to left center that loaded the bases. Pinch-runner Kim Ryder couldn't take off on contact as she had to make sure the flare was going to fall in. That brought up Maddie Antone with the bases loaded and one out but Julie Callicutt got Antone looking on a 1-2 count. Ritter then stepped in and drew the walk allowing Ryder to come home for the winning run.

In the top of the 7^th the Eagles were in big trouble as Campbell loaded the bases with no outs. Maggie Christopher ripped a single through the left side to lead off the inning followed by a Camise Patterson walk and Erika Nesbitt bunt single. That brought up Stephanie Jones who ripped one to left field as Covington made the catch and immediately through the ball to third base. Christopher took off running and then came back to the bag where Ritter hauled in the throw from Covington and Christopher was called out by the umpire for a double-play. After Sutton Watson walked Bailey Bjorson to load the bases for the Camels again, she got Brittany Bruce to ground out to third and the Eagles escaped with the game tied at 2-2.

Campbell took advantage of a two-out error by the Eagles in the top of the first inning for an early 1-0 lead. Following the error that put runners at the corners, Bruce hit a flare into right center that just fell in front of right fielder Tara Loken. The Camels led 2-0 after two innings after Patterson led off the second inning with a home run to left center.

The Eagles were in business in the bottom of the third as they loaded the bases with one out thanks to a couple of defensive miscues by Campbell. Uyeno earned a one-out walk and then Glover reached on an error on a close play at first as the throw sailed over the head of first baseman Melissa Tuller as Glover reached the bag. That put runners at the corners and then bases were loaded when Haley popped up at home plate but the ball went off the catcher's glove and dropped into the field of play. Covington came up with a chance to get the Eagles back in the game as she hit a soft chopper between home plate and the pitching circle as Katie Baker charged in and scooped the ball up with her glove and tossed it to home plate for the force out. Baker then hit Antone on the next pitch, which plated Glover to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. Ritter popped up to third to end the threat.

Watson earned her 10^th win of the season as she tossed a complete game allowing one earned run on nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Baker started the game for Campbell but didn't factor in the decision after tossing five innings allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts as she had a no-hitter through four innings. Callicutt took the loss and falls to 14-10 after allowing one run on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 1.2 innings.