Elon, N.C. — Reese Basinger and Sydeny Boulware tossed complete game shutouts to lead Winthrop softball to wins over North Carolina A&T and Elon to open the 2023 season.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORD: Winthrop (1-0 | North Carolina A&T (0-1) | Elon (0-1)
WINTHROP LEADERS: KaDedra Temple (5-6, 2R, 2 2B, 3RBI, HBP, 2SB) |
Reese Basinger (CG, SHO, 3H, 2BB, 13K) |
Sydney Boulware (CG, SHO, 6H, BB, 6K) |
Ansley Lee (3-6, 2B, 2RBI, BB)
WHAT HAPPENED
vs. N.C. A&T
- Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the second on a bases loaded single to left by KaDedra Temple, scoring Kaitlyn Tucker
- Tucker led off the inning with a full count walk, then moving to second on an Ansley Lee single
- After Isabella Clark reached on a fielding error that loaded the bases, Tucker scored on the Temple single
- Winthrop added some insurance with four runs in the fourth inning
- Lee drew a leadoff walk to get things going and was replaced by pinch-runner Olivia Martin
- Martin moved to second on a ground out and then to third on a fielding error
- Temple stood in and delivered a double to left center, scoring both Martin and Peyton Rivas
- With two outs the Eagles put runners on second and third as Ella McGalliard stepped up and singled to right scoring both runs to lead 5-0
- Reese Basinger issued both of her walks in the first inning and then proceed to finish the game with a career-high 13 strikeouts and allowed just three hits
at Elon
- Eagles struck in the top of the first as Ashton Vanhouse led off the game with a single to left and then moved to second on a wild pitch
- After a single by Temple put runners at the corners, Temple stole second on a strikeout and Vanhouse scored on the play to lead 1-0
- In the bottom of the first, Elon had runners at second and third with one out when Chloe Hatzopoulos flied to left
- On the play, Drew Menscer tagged up and scored on the play but was later ruled as leaving early for the third out and keeping the Phoenix off the board
- In the fifth inning, Temple doubled to right center with one out and then McCall singled to put runners at the corners
- After McCall stole second, Lee doubled to right scoring both runners for a 3-0 lead
- Tucker followed with a single to center, scoring pinch-runner Aleah Roy for a 4-0 lead
- After the first inning starting pitcher Sydney Boulware and the Winthrop defense was in control
- Boulware even struck out the side on her way to six strikeouts to one walk in the game en route to her first collegiate shutout
EXTRA BASES
- Paige Rivas ended the 2022 season reaching base in the final five games and extended it to six straight games with a walk in the game against N.C A&T
- The shutout for Basinger was the fifth of her career and just the second time with 10 or more strikeouts
- This is the first 2-0 start to the season since the 2020 season when the Eagles opened with wins over Samford and Akron
- It is also the first time the Eagles tossed back-to-back shutouts to open a season since 2006
- Which is also the last time the Eagles pitched a shutout in a season-opener
- Chelsea Roberson, Lee, and Temple all got hits in their Winthrop debut
- Aleah Roy and Olivia Martin each scored their first collegiate run
- Eagles kept N.C. A&T and Elon a combined 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position
ON DECK
Winthrop is back in action at the Elon Softball Classic on Saturday, Feb. 11 as it will face Morgan State at 9:30 a.m. and then Elon at 2:30 p.m.
For everything Winthrop softball visit
www.winthropeagles.com or follow us on social media @Winthropsoftbal, winthropsoftball (Instagram) or
www.facebook.com/Winthrop-Softball
