GREENVILLE, SC— Winthrop softball dropped two hard fought games on the final day of the Spartan Classic with a 4-0 loss to Marshall and 2-1 loss in 10 innings at Furman, Sunday afternoon.
 
GAME INFORMATION
RECORDS: Winthrop (4-5) | Marshall (6-8) | Furman (12-3)
WINTHROP LEADERS: Kiley Majette (9.0 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs/1 earned, no walks, 9K), Tori Walker (2-for-4, 2B, sacrifice), Blake Wallert (2-for-7, SB)
 
COACHES QUOTE
Head Coach Mark Cooke~
"In the last game there were two lefthanders just going at it. We just didn't get the bunt down and neither did they but they did come through with a base hit. I hate losing that but we played two great teams really well today. Happy with the effort and I can't really say anything bad about the way we played. Now we'll go home and prepare for Georgia."
 
WHAT HAPPENED
            vs. Marshall

• Winthrop put a runner in scoring position in the top of the first as Morgan Lowers doubled to left center with one out
• Blake Wallert moved Lowers over on a groundout, but then Ashley Westbrooks fouled out to first to end the threat
• In the bottom of the first Eloise Tribolet singled with one out but then Westbrooks nailed her at second trying to steal which proved key as the next batter singled to left
• Wallert singled with one out in the 4^th inning and moved to second on a ground out but Ansley Gilreath grounded out to third to end the threat
• The Eagles had another chance at scoring the game's first run in the fifth as Tori Walker singled followed by a double from Sabrina Shroades
• Marshall's starting pitcher Abigail Tolbert then struck out Shayna Covington to end the inning
• The Thundering Herd took the lead in the bottom half of the fifth with two outs as Taylor McCord delivered with a two-run double to left center
• With one out, Jordan Colliflower and Elicia D'Orazio singled and were then sacrificed over to put runners at second and third for McCord
• Marshall added two more runs in the sixth for insurance
• Winthrop left six on base in the game

 
vs. Furman

• This was a duel between two starting pitchers that ended in the 10^th inning via the international tie-breaker
• Kiley Majette tossed nine innings allowing just one earned run with no walks and nine strikeouts
• Furman's Lindsey Bert nine innings as well allowing one run with no walks and five strikeouts
• With the game tied 1-1 in the 10^th, the Eagles were unable to get a bunt down to move the runner placed on second base to start the inning
• Furman's first batter, Brittany Houston, failed to sacrifice on her first two attempts but then swung away on an 0-2 pitch and came through with a single up the middle for the walk-off hit
• The Eagles scored first in the top of the fifth as Sabrina Shroades led off the inning, was removed for pinch-runner Jill Derrick who eventually scored on an A.G. Gardner single
• In the top of the sixth Caroline Cash led off the inning with a home run to right to tie the game
• Winthrop finished with five hits and left six runners on base
• The Eagles had five different players with one hit

 
EXTRA BASES

• With the Eagles trailing 4-0 in the top of the seventh, A.G. Gardner battled through a 15-pitch at-bat to earn a leadoff walk
• Four of the six runners left on base vs. Marshall were at second or third base when stranded
• The Eagles started the season 4-1, but have dropped four straight
• Walker has extended her streak of reaching base to four games

 
ON DECK
The Eagles will be back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. when it hosts #14/25 Georgia for a doubleheader at Terry Field.