ATHENS, GA— Winthrop split on its opening day of the 12
th Annual Red & Black Showcase with a 3-2 win over Buffalo and an 11-0 loss to 6
th-ranked Georgia.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORDS: Winthrop (4-3) | Buffalo (1-7) | Georgia (6-1)
WINTHROP LEADERS: Logan Webb (4-for-5) /
Madyson Watson (Win, 7IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 3K) /
Morgan Lowers (2-for-6, R, RBI, HR)
WHAT HAPPENED
vs. Buffalo
- Morgan Lowers gave Winthrop a 1-0 lead in the first as she hit a solo home run to right field
- Buffalo took a 2-1 lead in the second with two outs
- After issuing a leadoff walk on four pitches, Madyson Watson retired the next two batters before giving up a two out single to Gabby Keller
- Hannah Bardeen stepped in and doubled to center on a full count, scoring both base runners to take the lead
- Eagles tied it in the 3rd as Logan Webb led off with a single to get things started
- Buffalo threatened to take the lead in the top of the seventh as Jenelle Martinez singled with two outs followed by a single to center by Catrell Robertson as she hustled to second on the throw to put runners and second and third
- Watson got a fly out to left to end the inning and keep the game tied
- In the bottom of the seventh, Webb led off the inning with her third hit of the game as Reema Patel took over as a pinch-runner
- Two batters later Lowers sacrificed Patel to second as Ashley Westbrooks stepped in and delivered a walk-off double to left center as Patel scored the winning run
- Watson tossed a complete game allowing two runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts as she earned her first win of the season
vs. Georgia
- Tori Walker singled to lead off the game as he tried to get something going for the Eagles early
- Walker was out at second on a grounder by Lowers but the Eagles had two runners on base after Westbrooks reached on an error and Lowers moved to second
- A grounder by Keleigh Romine moved both runners into scoring position but Georgia pitcher Mary Wilson Avant was able to get Blake Wallert to strikeout and end the threat
- Georgia started the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles followed by a walk from Alyssa DiCarlo to load the bases with no outs
- Kiley Majette got the next batter Lacey Fincher to pop out and the following batter Alysen Febrey to ground out to second, but the runner scored from third for a 1-0 lead
- Ciara Bryan made it 2-0 with a single to short before Savana Sikes popped up to end the inning
- The Bulldogs opened the game up in the second as Justice Mitz hit a three-run homer followed by a solo shot from DiCarlo for a 6-0 lead
- The Bulldogs added three more runs in the third and two more in the fourth
- Walker, Wallert and Webb each had a hit in the game for the Eagles as Webb ends up with four hits on the day
EXTRA BASES
- Lowers home run against Buffalo extended her hitting streak to nine games dating back to last year, but the streak ended against Georgia as she was 0-for-3
- The hitting streak was two games shy of her career-best 11-game hit streak in 2016
- Winthrop scored in the first inning against Buffalo, which was the sixth time in seven games its done so this season
- Eagles improved to 3-1 all-time against Buffalo while falling to 2-24 against Georgia
ON DECK
Winthrop is back in action Saturday morning when it faces Buffalo at 9 a.m. and Georgia at 11:30 a.m. on Day two of the Red & Black Showcase.
