The Presbyterian College softball team rallied with three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to erase a three-run deficit and take the 5-3 rain-shortened win in the second game of a doubleheader at Winthrop Tuesday night. The game was called after five innings due to lightening and rain in the area.
PC improves to 17-17 overall and 7-6 in the Big South, while Winthrop drops to 16-22, 5-8. PC is next in action at home against S.C. State April 9, in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.
Both pitchers started strong in game two, with PC's Kensley Loudermelk and Winthrop's Sutton Watson holding their respective opponents to just one hits, with two strikeouts the opening two innings.
More of the same in the top of the third, Watson struck out the PC side in order to record her 300th career strikeout. Loudermelk retired the first two before hitting and walking the next two batters. She surrendered a base hit to Kelsey Ritter to then load the bases. Leah Young bunted back to the pitcher, who threw wide to first, resulting in two runs coming home. Kelsey Ritter stole home the next at bat as Winthrop built a 3-0 lead after three innings.
PC responded with back to back singles, by Shelby Petik and Erin Ruff, to put runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the fourth. PC made it three hits in a row as Hope Rogers laced a double that bounced off the right field wall to bring home two runs as PC cut the margin to one.
Erin Taylor's base hit up the middle with one out on the board put a runner on first and third, while a Blaire Miller base hit to first loaded them up. Courtney Lawton drew a walk the next batter as PC tied the game, 3-3. That would be it as PC struck out and grounded out the next two at-bats.
After a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth for Winthrop, PC opened the fifth with a walk by Petik. After Winthrop changed pitchers Ruff sent Petik to third off a double to left. Rogers and Kersten Legacki each posted back to back singles to bring home the team's fourth and fifth runs. The next three batters went down in order, but the damage was done with the Blue Hose taking the 5-3 lead.
Winthrop threatened in the bottom of the fifth, putting a runner on third with two outs. Young singled to the shortstop whose throw to first was not in time. Miller, at first, quickly sailed the ball home, as Antone attempted to score. The throw was in time and she was out on the play to end the inning with no damage done.
Petik doubled to left with two outs in the top of the sixth, with Ruff being intentionally walked. The next at-bat Rogers hit a long fly to left that was caught to end the threat, however.
A single and a walk by Winthrop to open the bottom of the sixth put runners on first and second with no outs. Before the next batter came up lightning was detected in the area and play was halted.
After several minutes and more rain headed to the area, the game was called with PC coming away with the 5-3 win, with the action in the sixth inning for both teams erased.
PC finished with nine hits, with Rogers leading the team with a three-for-three effort and three RBI. Ruff had two hits as well. Loudermelk pitched the entire game, giving up no earned runs and four hits for the win (11-6).
Winthrop came away with four hits in the game and no errors. Watson started and gave up three earned runs and four hits with five strikeouts. Sara Allen (9-7) earned the loss in 0.2 innings of work. She gave up one run and two hits in relief.
