#4 Winthrop Tops #1 Radford in 11 Innings, 7-4
By Winthrop Athletics
CLINTON, S.C. – A 7th inning rally led to an extra innings victory as fourth-seeded Winthrop knocked of top-seeded Radford 7-4, Thursday afternoon on day two of the 2025 Big South Conference Championship.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Winthrop struck first as Peyton Bryden led off the second inning with a home run to left. The Eagles doubled their lead to 2-0 in the third as Emma Jackson drew a one out walk and scored from first on a double to right by Megan Powell. Radford got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as Rachel Smith reached on an infield single to short to set the table. Cassi Barbato followed with a single up the middle as Smith raced around to get to third on the play and Barbato moved over to second. After a ground out to short, Harrison hit a slow grounder to second to score Rachel Smith from third.
Powell came into pitch and after loading the bases got a grounder to short as Grayson Buckner came home for the force out. The Highlanders grabbed the lead as Emily Smith hit a pitch off the end of the bat that dropped in front of Tia Beckham in left field to plate to and grab a 3-2 lead. Winthrop had a chance to tie the game in the fifth inning as Jackson was hit by a pitch with two outs and then moved over to third on a single to right by Powell. The threat ended as Beckham grounded out to the pitcher.
In the top of the seventh, Buckner led off with a single up the middle and then sacrificed over to second by Madelyn Miller. Two batters later Jackson came through with a single up the middle, scoring Buckner to tie the game. Jackson moved over to second on the play when the throw went to home and then scored a go-ahead run on a single by Powell to left field
Radford tied the game in the bottom of the seventh as Amanda Lee led off with a double down the left field line to set the table. With two outs, Lee scored on a flare to right field by Kelley Feigen.
The Eagles started the 10th inning with back-to-back singles by Jackson and Powell. Katie Beck followed with a single down the left field line as Jackson raced around third trying to score the go-head run but was thrown out in a close play at home plate. Bryden came through with a single to right with two outs to load the bases but the Eagles were unable to take advantage.
In the bottom of the 10th inning Radford got a one out single by Bossler and she moved to second on a ground out but Powell forced a pop up to end the inning. The Eagles kept battling and it paid off in the top of the 11th inning as Buckner led off with a shot past the first baseman for a single. Tabitha Perry sacrificed Buckner to second to get the go-ahead run in scoring position. Emma Jackson followed with a single to left to put runners at the corners.
Powell came up and hit a grounder to the left side that was fielded by the third base and a throw home got Buckner out on the force play. The catcher tried to turn two as Powell raced up the line and her throw airmailed the first baseman into right field which allowed Emma Roberson to score for a 5-4 lead. Tia Beckham put the Eagles up by two runs with a single through the left side that scored Jackson and then Beck doubled to left to drive in Powell for a three run cushion.
Lee led off the bottom of the 11th for Radford and singled through the hole at short but Powell recorded three straight outs including the final out coming on a foul out as Perry made the touch catch near the fence to clinch the win.
Powell tossed 7.2 innings of relief to earn her 16 win of the season as she allowed one run on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts
Winthrop advances to the first game of the day on Friday, May 8 to face third-seeded USC Upstate at 12 p.m. in a re-match of last year's Championship Final. The winner of the game will advance to the title game of the Big South Championship.