LYNCHBURG, VA— Winthrop softball dropped both games of a doubleheader at league-leading Liberty, Friday afternoon in Big South Conference action. The Eagles fell 4-1 in the first game and 9-0 in five innings in the nightcap.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORDS: Winthrop (17-29, 7-13 Big South), Liberty (43-12, 17-3 Big South)
WINTHROP LEADERS: Ashley Westbrooks (2-for-6),
Morgan Lowers (2-for-5, R, RBI, HR)
WHAT HAPPENED
Game 1
- Morgan Lowers hit her first homerun of the season in the second inning for a 1-0 lead as she pulled one over the fence in right
- Liberty came right back in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 1-1
- The first two reached on a hit-by-pitch and double to put two runners in scoring position as Madison Via came through with an RBI single
- Taylor Hoffman loaded the bases with a bunt single, but Kiley Majette got a double play followed by a groundout to end the threat and keep the game tied
- The Flames got the leadoff batter on for a second straight inning in the third as Autumn Bishop doubled down the right field line and came around to score for a 2-1 lead on an RBI single to left by Sarah Robertson
- Eagles had a great chance to tie the game or take the lead in the top of the fifth
- A.G. Gardner singled to the pitcher to leadoff and was replaced by pinch-runner Kamryn Culp
- After Shayna Covington moved Culp to second with a sacrifice bunt, Ashley Westbrooks singled to put runners at the corners
- But Liberty's pitcher Julia DiMartino got Tori Walker and Blake Wallert to strikeout to end the inning and keep the Flames in the lead at 2-1
- In the bottom of the inning the Flames opened up a three-run lead as Autumn Bishop led off with a double and Amber Bishop followed with a first-pitch homerun to left center
- Majette took the loss and fell to 10-15 after allowing four runs on eight hits with no walks and two strikeouts
- DiMartino earned her 24th win after allowing one run on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts
Game 2
- Eagle starting pitcher Madyson Watson ran into some trouble in the bottom of the second as Liberty pushed two across
- It could have been worse with runners at second and third and no outs when Taylor flew out to right and Covington nailed Via at the plate for a double play
- Watson closed out the inning with a ground out back to the pitcher to keep it a two-run game
- Liberty got its offense going again in the third inning with back-to-back one-out singles
- Robertson stepped in and hit an 0-2 pitch to left center for an RBI double
- McFarland made it 4-0 after a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Jaclyn Amader
- Via delivered a two-out RBI single to make it 5-0
- The Flames made it 8-0 in the fourth behind three doubles that included a 2-run double by Robertson
- All four runs in the fourth inning came with two outs
- Watson took the loss for the Eagles and falls to 5-7 after allowing five runs on eight hits
EXTRA BASES
- Westbrooks extended her hitting streak to seven games in the first game of the doubleheader with a single to center in the second inning but her streak ended in the second game as it only went five innings
- Lowers was 2-for-3 in game one of the doubleheader as she picked up two hits for a second straight game
- In the two games of the doubleheader combined, Liberty's leadoff batter reached in 6-of-9 innings (4 doubles, HBP and a single)
- Winthrop has now lost five straight to the Flames since winning the opening game of the series last year (2017)
ON DECK
Winthrop and Liberty will wrap-up the series on Saturday with a single-game at 10 a.m. that will air on ESPN3.
