Winthrop scored two runs in the first and two more in the second to build a 4-0 lead before the Presbyterian College softball team rallied with three runs late, falling just short in a 4-3 loss in game one in Big South action at Terry Field in Rock Hill, S.C.
PC drops to 16-17 overall and 6-6 in the Big South, while Winthrop improves to 16-21, 5-7. The two teams play the second game of the doubleheader at 6 p.m. PC steps out of conference play next with a home doubleheader Thursday, April 9, beginning at 3 p.m., at the PC Softball Complex.
Kelsey Ritter put Winthrop on the board first with her sixth two-run home run of the season, this one sailing just over center, giving the Eagles the early 2-0 lead. Paige Haley scored on the play after leading off the bottom of the first with a single.
After a 1-2-3 inning for PC in the second, the Eagles added two more runs in the bottom, those coming off a two-RBI single by Maddie Antone. She plated Haley, who had reached on a single, and Zharne Glover, who was on base off a fielder's choice, off her base hit back up to the pitcher.
PC led off the top of the third with a walk by Courtney Lawton and a base hit by Blaire Miller to put runners on first and second with no outs. Jill McLean attempted the sacrifice bunt to second but an error resulted in her called safe at first. Miller advanced to second, while Lawton rounded third to cut the margin to three, 4-1. Winthrop pitcher Sara Allen recovered, forcing two groundouts and a fly out to end the inning.
Erin Ruff, with a runner on and one out in the top of the fifth, collected her fourth home run of the season, this one a two-run shot over the right field fence, to cut Winthrop's lead to just one, 4-3.
That would be as close as PC would get as the visitors went down in order the sixth and seventh innings, preserving the 4-3 win for Winthrop.
PC finished with four hits, coming from Ruff, Erin Taylor, Hope Rogers and Miller. Ruff paced the team with her two RBI.
Sydney Seigler picked up the loss (3-9), throwing 1.2 innings and giving up four earned runs off five hits. Katie Brown pitched solidly in relief, going 4.1 innings, holding the Eagles hitless and scoreless.
Haley's two hits and two runs led Winthrop offensively, with Antone and Ritter topping the Eagles with two RBI apiece. Sara Allen took the win (9-6), surrendering four hits and two earned runs. Winthrop finished with five hits, all coming in the first two innings.
PC recorded one error in game one, with Winthrop collecting two.
