BUIES CREEK, NC— Winthrop softball's season came to an end Saturday afternoon but not without a fight at the 2019 Big South Conference Softball Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting. After winning the first game of the day 4-3 over top-seeded Longwood to force a "Winner Take All" game the Eagles fought right to the end in a 3-2 loss in the championship game against the Lancers.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORDS: Winthrop (30-25, 14-10 Big South) | Longwood (37-20, 20-4 Big South)
WINTHROP LEADERS: Morgan Lowers (4-8, 2R, 2RBI) |
Blake Wallert (3-8, R, 6 Assists)
WHAT HAPPENED
GAME 2
- Longwood threatened first as it drew back-to-back walks with two outs in the second inning, but Kiley Majette got a ground out to end the threat
- Eagles missed a good opportunity in the top of the third as Blake Wallert reached on an error and Morgan Lowers followed with a single
- The threat ended as Ashley Westbrooks grounded into a double play
- Eagles threatened again in the top of the fourth as Tori Walker got it started with a two-out walk and then stole second
- Then Majette and Ansley Gilreath drew walks to load the bases for Logan Webb, who grounded into a force out at third to end the threat
- In the bottom of the fourth the Lancers drew back-to-back walks with two outs but Majette got a force out to end the threat
- After knocking on the door a couple of times throughout the first four innings the Eagles finally broke through in the fifth
- Lowers reached on a one out fielding error and moved to second on a wild pitch
- Two batters later Keleigh Romine stepped in and took an 0-2 pitch over the fence in left for a 2-0 lead
- Longwood took advantage of a couple of miscues by the Eagles in the sixth inning to score three runs for a one run lead
- Kaylynn Batten drew a leadoff walk followed by a double to right center by Karleigh Donovan
- Pinch-runner Mason Basdikis scored on a wild pitch to cut the Eagles lead in half
- Sydney Jacobsen then walked to put runners at the corners and successfully stole second but an errant throw allowed her to move to third and pinch-runner Destiny Martinez scored on the play to tie the game
- Longwood took the lead on a squeeze play as Jessica Smith laid down the bunt and Jacobsen raced home
- Eagles put the tying run at first in the seventh as Westbrooks drew a 2 out walk but Romine grounded out off the pitcher as the second baseman picked up the ball and made the throw to first in time for the final out
- Madyson Watson took the loss after allowing one run on no hits with a walk and a strikeout in one inning of work
- Majette, Lowers and Wallert were all named to the Big South All-Tournament Team
Game 1
- Eagles had a good chance to jump on the Lancers in the top of the first as Lowers and Westbrooks had back-to-back singles and moved over a base on a wild pitch with one out
- Romine and Brooke Ellison both put the ball in play but each flied out to center to end the threat
- The third inning as been the Eagles toughest to get through all season and Longwood struck first in the third
- Watson hit the leadoff batter and Chelsea Whitcomb followed with a single to put two runners on
- After getting a ground out, Alexis Wayland got just enough on a single up the middle to slip by a diving Ellison as the runner scored for a 1-0 lead
- On the play the Eagles threw out Whitcomb trying to get third on the throw home but Wayland moved into scoring position at second
- Jordan Clark then pulled a pitch up and away over Westbrooks head at third base to score Whitcomb for a two advantage
- Romine led off the fourth and for the second straight day was robbed of a hit as she lined one down the left field line but Martinez made the diving catch for the out
- After the first inning the Eagles continued to put the ball in play but couldn't find the holes until they finally broke through in the sixth
- Wallert and Lowers led off the inning with back-to-back singles and Westbrooks moved them over on a sacrifice
- After Romine flied out to left, Ellison stepped in and took the first pitch to the gap in right center to score both runs and tie the game
- Batten put the Lancers back on top 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth with a solo homerun
- Gilreath got things going with one out in the seventh with a single and then pinch-hitter Majette drew a walk
- Gilreath and Majette were both replaced by pinch-runners Jill Derrick and Kamryn Culp
- Wallert loaded the bases with a single to left as Lowers stepped in and delivered a single to left field, scoring two runs and putting the Eagles ahead 4-3
- Watson gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh but closed the door on the Lancers to force a "winner take all" game
- Watson earned her 15th win of the season as she allowed three runs on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts in a complete game performance
EXTRA BASES
- This was the 13th championship game appearance by the Eagles, which is tied for the most all-time in Big South history
- Longwood made its 5th Big South title game appearance since becoming a conference member in 2015
- In the first game, Westbrooks single in the first inning was the 150th of her career
- The first game was the 9th time this season the Eagles won a game when trailing after four innings and 6th when trailing after five
- The win over Longwood in game one was the 30th on the year for the Eagles, the first time they've reached 30 wins since the 2008 team won 36 and finished with a record over .500 for first time since 2013
- Lowers had a hit in each game, giving her at least one hit in 15-of-16 conference tournament games played in her career
- Lowers finishes her career with 211 hits, which is tied for 5th all-time in program history
