#3 Winthrop Opens Softball Championship with 8-3 Win over #2 Longwood
By Winthrop Athletics
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop scored six runs over the final three innings on its way to an 8-3 victory over second-seeded Longwood, Thursday evening in the opening game of the 2024 Big South Conference Softball Championship.
BOX SCORE
WHAT HAPPENED
* The first two innings were relatively quiet and then both teams combined for five runs in the third inning
* It started with a leadoff home run by Ansley Lee to start the inning
* Grayson Buckner walked with one out and then moved to second on a single by Paige Rivas
* After a sacrifice bunt by Ashton VanHouse moved both runners into scoring position, Buckner scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead
* In the bottom of the third, the Lancers got back-to-back singles from A. Drake and L. Fox
* L. Taylor stepped in and pulled a 2-2 pitch to left for a three-run homer and a 3-2 lead
* Both teams threatened in the fourth, but came up empty
* In the top of the fifth, Buckner doubled to right center with one out
* Paige Rivas followed with a grounder to third as she beat the throw to first for the infield single
* After she was safe first baseman Sophia Knock tried to get Buckner at third but the throw was off the mark as it went into foul territory allowing Buckner to come around and score
* VanHouse followed with a double to left center to score Paige Rivas from second to regain the lead 4-3
* Eagles added three more runs in the sixth to open up their lead
* It started with a one out single from Lee, who was replaced by pinch-runner Ashley Wood
* Peyton Rivas followed with an infield single and Buckner walked load the bases
* Paige Rivas grounded to short as the throw came home for the force out but was off the mark as Peyton Rivas scored
* VanHouse then drove in Buckner with a sacrifice fly to deep left for a 7-3 lead
* Megan Powell added some insurance in the top of the seventh as she homered to center field with one out
* Powell started the game in the circle, allowing three runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts in three innings
* Reese Basinger earned the win in relief as she tossed four innings allowing no runs on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts
EXTRA BASES
* This was the Eagles first conference tournament win since defeating Longwood 4-3 in the first game of the championship before falling 3-2 in the 'if necessary" game
It also snapped a 13-game losing streak vs. the Lancers
* The victory for Basinger was the 36th of her career as she moved into solo 12th on the all-time list
* Paige Rivas scored one run and is now two runs away from 100 in her career.
The Eagles will face top-seeded USC Upstate on Friday, May 10 at 2 p.m. in the winner's bracket. The winner of the game will advance to Saturday's championship game.