Rock Hill, S.C. — Winthrop softball dropped a doubleheader at 17
th-ranked Clemson Tuesday evening as it dropped the first game 9-0 and fell 6-2 in the nightcap.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORDS: Winthrop (20-21, 7-7 Big South) | #17 Clemson (27-4, 18-4 ACC)
WINTHROP LEADERS: Taylor Charlton (2-for-5, R, HR, 2RBI)
WHAT HAPPENED
Game 1
- After a nine pitch at-bat, McKenzie Clark walked to lead off the bottom of the first
- Clark stole second and then moved to third on a fly out
- Valerie Cagle plated Clark as she went up in the zone to drive a ball to left center for a double
- After loading the bases on a couple of walks, Ansley Gilstrap squeezed a grounder through the hole at third for a 2-0 lead
- Two batters later, Abi Stuart hit a soft liner to left center as she raced to second for the double and two more runs crossed the plate for a 4-0 lead
- Lauren King drew a leadoff walk to start the third inning to try and get things going for the Eagles
- Cagle responded by striking the next three batters out to end the top half
- Clemson manufactured a couple more runs in the third inning for a 6-0 lead
- The Tigers tried to add to that in the fourth as Kyah Keller singled to left and pinch-runner Sarah Howell tried to score from second but Ashton Vanhouse nailed her with a perfect throw to the plate
- While the Tigers still had runners in scoring position Madyson Watson was able to strikeout Alia Logoleo to end the inning
- Clemson grabbed a 7-0 lead in the fifth when Clark hit a line drive to right that Vianna Rodriguez couldn't hold on to, scoring Cammy Pereira
- Then pinch-hitter Morgan Johnson took an 0-2 pitch over the fence in left center to end the game
WHAT HAPPENED
Game 2
- Tigers got an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Clark led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on a single up the middle by Cagle
- In the bottom of the third, Gilstrap hit a two-run homerun to left center and Cagle followed with a solo shot down the left field line for a 4-0 lead
- Clark and Gilstrap hit back-to-back solo shots with two outs in the bottom of the fourth for a 6-0 advantage
- In the top of the seventh, Bailey Warren led off with a walk and two batters later Taylor Charlton hit a homerun to left center on a 2-2 pitch
EXTRA BASES
- Charlton now has five homeruns in her last 11 games
ON DECK
Winthrop gets back to league play this weekend as it hosts USC Upstate in a key Big South Conference series Apr. 16-17. The series opens with a single-game on Friday at 4 p.m. and then on Saturday the teams will play a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
