Big South Softball Recap - May 3
The opening games of the final Big South series on Friday ended in doubleheader splits between Winthrop and USC Upstate, as well as Radford and Presbyterian.
WINTHROP 5, USC UPSTATE 0 |
BOX SCORE
USC UPSTATE 10, WINTHROP 6 |
BOX SCORE
Game 1 - The Eagles struck in the bottom of the fourth as Megan Powell singled up the middle to score Paige Rivas from third with two outs. In the bottom of the fifth inning the Eagles extended their lead to 5-0. Ansley Lee led off with a single to right center and was sacrificed to second by Peyton Rivas. Two batters later Paige Rivas hit a high chopper to the left side as Abby Polk fielded it and tried to get Lee at third but the throw was off the mark allowing runners at the corners. Ashton VanHouse reached on an error on a grounder to short, allowing Lee to score for a 2-0 lead. Emma Jackson stepped in and took the second pitch she saw over the field in left center for a 3-run shot.
Game 2 - After spending a few hours on a rain delay, Upstate and Winthrop began game two at 8:00 p.m. after an original 4:00 p.m. first pitch. Refusing to be swept, the Spartans got on the board quickly in game two, thanks to runs from Delorenzo and Deal. The Eagles rallied back in the bottom of the third with a homerun over right field that brought home two runners. Upstate tied the game at three apiece in the top of the fourth as Taliyah Thomas; single scored Emily Stern, just before taking a two run-lead in the top of the fifth due to an Eagle error.
RADFORD 7, PRESBYTERIAN 1 |
BOX SCORE
PRESBYTERIAN 8, RADFORD 4 |
BOX SCORE
Game 1 - Thanks to a strong pitching effort by Chloe Greene and her offense backing her up with some big swings for seven runs, Radford was able to start the day decisively. Greene allowed no earned runs in the contest, tallying four strikeouts along the way standing seven base runners. In the first, the Blue Hose got their first runner in scoring position, but Greene quickly stranded them there. Radford also got a runner to second in the bottom of the first, but with two outs she was also stranded.
Game 2 - Radford may have drawn first blood again in the back half of the twinbill, although PC struck back furiously with a six-pack in the top of the 4th. Mallory Fletcher and shortstop Emma Yanes started the inning with consecutive doubles, paving the way for a run-scoring smack by Maddi Wood and a rare two-RBI bunt single from second-year outfielder Morgan Farthing. After a wild pitch from the Highlanders' depleted bullpen pushed the deficit to 4-1, Kasey Wolfe stepped up to deliver the early dagger and solidify PC's best single inning of the conference portion of the season.