ROCK HILL, S.C.— Winthrop softball and Gardner-Webb split two games in a doubleheader to open a three-game series Friday afternoon at Terry Field. The Runnin' Bulldogs took game one in a pitching battle, 3-2, while the Eagles bounced back to take game two 8-5.
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GAME INFORMATION
RECORDS:Â Winthrop (16-22, 6-8 Big South), Gardner-Webb (23-19, 7-7 Big South)
WINTHROP LEADERS GAME 1:Â
Kiley Majette (7.0IP, 3H, 1BB, 4K / 1-for-1),
Ashley Westbrooks (2-for-3, 1RBI),Â
Tori Walker (1-for-2, 1RBI)Â
WINTHROP LEADERS GAME 2:Â
Madyson Watson (W, 7.0IP, 2BB, 4K),Â
Ansley Gilreath (1-for-2, 3RBI, 1HR),Â
Blake Wallert (1-for-3, 2R)
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WHAT HAPPENED
Game 1Â
- The Eagles got on the board first in the bottom of the 3rd as Ashley Westbrooks sent a single to right center to score A.G. Gardner for a 1-0 lead.
- GWU's Kaylee Wacaster knocked a two-RBI home run in the top of the 4th to gain the lead, but the Eagles answered in the bottom half of the inning combining a GWU fielding error and a Tori Walker single RBI to tie the game at 2-2.
- The squads would remain deadlocked until GWU's Rachel Cumiskey sent a solo homer over the fence for the 3-2 lead the Eagles would be unable to overcome, failing to get a baserunner on in the final three innings.
Game 2Â
- Gardner-Webb struck first with a sac fly RBI by Weslyn Almond in the 2nd. The lead didn't last long – Ansley Gilreath took a leadoff walk to get things going, with Jill Derrick coming in as a pinch runner. A Madyson Watson sacrifice bunt would send Derrick to second, then Blake Wallert sent a single to third to get runners on the corners.
- Wallert stole second, then a throwing error would allow her to get to third and Derrick home for a run. Wallert would later score, giving the Eagles an early 2-1 lead.
- The offensive day would continue as GWU added two in the 3rd and Winthrop answered with three runs to maintain a 5-3 lead. Gilreath blasted a three-run homer to left for the score.
- After a scoreless 4th, the scoring would pick up in the 5th. GWU plated one to pull within a 5-4 margin, but the Eagles took advantage of Bulldog defensive struggles to get three across in the bottom half of the 5th to push the lead to 8-4, including an RBI single by Shayna Covington.
- GWU would get runners to second and third in the 6th, but the Eagles would hold them to just one run scored, to keep the margin 8-5.
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EXTRA BASES
- In each game, the team scoring first ended up on the losing end of the final score.
- Kylie Majette threw a complete game in game one, allowing just three hits and notching four strikeouts, but the Eagles came up just short for the win. Â
- Madyson Watson improved to 5-5 on the season with a complete game in game two.
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ON DECK
Winthrop and Gardner-Webb wrap up the series with game three Saturday at 11:30 a.m. with Senior Day festivities prior to first pitch.
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