Cullowhee, N.C.— Winthrop softball took the nightcap 9-6 to earn a doubleheader split at Western Carolina, Tuesday evening. Eagles dropped the first game 4-3 as the Catamounts scored two runs late.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORDS: Winthrop (9-8) | Western Carolina (2-2)
WINTHROP LEADERS: Taylor Charlton (2-for-4, R, 2B, HR, 2RBI) |
Ashley Westbrooks (2-for-5, 2R, 2B, HR, 3RBI, 2BB) |
Logan Webb (2-for-5, 2R, HR, RBI, 2BB)
WHAT HAPPENED
Game 1
- Six of the seven runs combined came off a homerun as the Eagles hit two and the Catamounts had three
- Winthrop took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Sabrina Shroades walked with one and Ashley Westbrooks hit a two-run shot to left
- The lead was cut in half in the bottom of the third as Bailey Huneycutt hit a solo shot to left
- Logan Webb put the Eagles back on top by two runs with a one-out solo homerun to right in the fourth inning
- Catamounts threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Amber Parker doubled to lead off and was sacrificed to third
- Aisha Weixlmann worked out of the jam with a pop up to first and a fly out to right
- Addie Pate hit a one-out solo homerun to left in fifth inning to make it a one run game
- Kylie Shay followed with a double and moved to third on an error during the play
- Weixlmann again worked out of the situation with a strikeout and a foul out to right
- Catamounts tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a solo homerun from Brewer and then later in the inning Hayes plated the winning run with a double to left center
- Weixlmann didn't factor into the decision after tossing 5.1 innings allowing three runs on seven hits with four walks and seven strikeouts
WHAT HAPPENED
Game 2
- For second time on the day the Eagles pushed multiple runs across in the first inning
- Shroades singled with one out and Westbrooks followed with a double to left center that plated Shroades for the lead
- Gilreath doubled down the left field line to score Westbrooks and then Taylor Charlton doubled to plate Gilreath for a 3-0 lead
- Lauren King led off the second with a single and moved to third when Ellie Marks reached on an error
- Marks stole second and then Shroades reached on an error that allowed King to score and moved Marks to third
- Westbrooks drove in Marks with a deep fly out to right field for a 5-0 lead
- Parker homered to left with one out in the third to put the Catamounts on the board
- Webb led off the third with a single and moved to second when Watson drew a walk
- King walked to load the bases and Marks came through with a two-run single to left center
- After a pitching change, King and Marks moved over on a passed ball and King scored on a sacrifice fly to center for an 8-1 lead
- Western Carolina made it a three-run game in the bottom of the third highlighted by a two-run homerun with two outs from Kayla Brewer
- Both offenses settled down a bit over the next three innings with each team stranding a couple of runners
- Charlton led off the top of the seventh with a solo homerun for a 9-5 lead
- Catamounts did add another run in the bottom of the seventh as Erica Hayes doubled to left with one out and Huneycutt singled to center to score Hayes
- Watson battled her way through a complete game to earn her 5th win of the year and the 28th of her career
EXTRA BASES
- With her two RBI in the second game of the doubleheader, Charlton now leads the team with five multi-RBI games
- Charlton has started 12 of the 15 games she's appeared in and is already one RBI shy of her career-best 15 set in 2019
- Westbrooks passed Mallory Hogan for 8th on Winthrop's all-time RBI list with 107
- The teams combined to go 6-for-35 with runners in scoring position in the doubleheader as the Eagles were 3-for-16 and Catamounts were 3-for-19
- The teams combined for 28 hits in the two games and 18 of the hits were for extra bases
ON DECK
Winthrop will be off until Wednesday, Mar. 4 when it returns home to take on Coastal Carolina in a single-game at 4 p.m.
