The Blue Hose used a RBI single by Rachel Hopper (Simpsonville, S.C.) and a three-run home run by Morgan Durham (Simpsonville, S.C.) to score four runs in the eighth inning as the Presbyterian College softball team came back to take the 5-2 win over Winthrop in action this afternoon at Terry Field in Rock Hill, S.C.
The Blue Hose improved to 22-12-1 overall and 6-6 in the Big South. The 22 wins is the most for PC in NCAA Division I history. The record of 21 was set last year.
The first two innings for the Blue Hose were quiet with Leslie Hensley (Cheraw, S.C.) producing the only hit, a single to open the second inning. Codee Yeske (Lexington, S.C.) fouled out to the catcher and Krysten Handy (Gainesville, Fla.) grounded into a double play to end the inning and the PC threat.
Winthrop (14-25, 4-7) scored first with a run in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, and runners on second and third, Hensley walked a rare two batters in a row to plate Veronica Berrie, who reached on a double to lead off the inning. Hensley bounced back, forcing the next batter to pop up to short to end the inning.
PC went down in order the third and fourth innings, while six of seven Winthrop batters were retired as well as the Eagles took the 1-0 lead heading to the fifth.
Hensley started the fifth inning with a walk. Kaitlyn Sambito (Jacksonville, Fla.) came in to pinch run and reached second on a ground out by Handy. She took third off a passed ball with Katie Anderson (North Augusta, S.C.) at the plate.
With just her second hit of the season Anderson laced a single through the right side, sending in Sambito from third for the game-tying run.
Hensley re-entered and retired the Winthrop batters in order in the fifth inning, helping preserve the 1-1 tie heading into the sixth inning.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Tera Powell (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) singled to the third baseman to put a PC runner on base, but the Blue Hose couldn't capitalize as Durham popped up to the pitcher the next at bat.
The Eagles went down in order in the sixth, in part to stellar PC defense, as Amanda Miller (Orlando, Fla.) made a diving catch at short with no one out, to save an extra base hit for Berrie.
After the first two Blue Hose lined out and flied out in the seventh, respectively, Handy stepped up to the plate and on her second pitch, lined up the middle with a shot that was saved by Megan Chapman with a dramatic catch to end the inning for PC.
The first Winthrop batter grounded out to third before the Eagles put their first runner on base since the fifth inning, this one coming off a single by Teja Durante. She was tagged out the next at play off a fielder's choice to bring up Jenna Harbin, who singled to third base to put runners on first and second with two outs. The PC defense ended the threat as the next batter popped up to second, sending the game to extra innings.
Anderson opened the eighth inning with a walk and was replaced at first with Kayla Handy (Gainesville, Fla.). Lindsey Trombley came in to pinch hit and sacrificed Handy over to second with a bunt.
The next at bat, Hopper swung at her first pitch, sending the ball up the middle and giving the junior her sixth RBI of the season as Handy scored the go-ahead run.
Powell walked the next at-bat as PC put runners on first and second with just one out. Miller fouled out to the first baseman, sending Durham to the plate. She broke the game open with her team-leading fifth home run of the season, driving in three more runs to give PC the 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.
Winthrop's Chelsey Schoenfeldt hit a solo home run to open the bottom of the inning, cutting the PC lead to just three, 5-2. Berrie singled up the middle to put a runner on first with one out, but Hensley struck out Kelly Blea and Ashleigh Jackson popped to second to end the threat and the game, giving the Blue Hose the season-sweep over the Eagles.
For the game, Hensley surrendered two earned runs off six hits to pick up her league-leading 14th win of the season (14-7). Schoenfeldt earned the loss (7-9), giving up five runs off five hits.
PC is next in action Wednesday, April 20th as the Blue Hose travel to Appalachian State to take on the Mountaineers in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.
