CLINTON, S.C. – On a sun-filled Saturday afternoon at the PC Softball Complex, the Presbyterian College squad clocked in with their first Big South Conference doubleheader of the spring against a Winthrop visitor that had all the makings of an entertaining two-parter. It ended up being just that, with the Palmetto schools sharing wins during the DH (Presby taking the opener by a 5-2 difference before the Eagles grinded out a 2-1 decision in the rematch).

Awaking at just the right moment to turn a two-score hole into a three-run victory by erupting in the bottom of the 6^th, Presbyterian's Game 1 W was mired a bit from their South Carolina rivals in a second clash where one inning did all the talking.

With the series deadlocked at one win each, Sunday's third encounter could pay major dividends for whomever gains the victory. Six more league sets will await the Blue Hose down the line, although an important Game 3 will find its first pitch at 2:00 PM tomorrow.

 
NOTABLES
 
- Old reliable Jenna Greene limited the Eagles just enough in her sixth complete game of 2024 and 61^st of an exceptional career, acquiring personal win number 54 to start off the DH which adds to what's already a PC school record.

- While the defense was consistent enough to seize the win, it was the bats that powered Presbyterian to the come-from-behind triumph. Scoreless through five, head coach David Williams' lineup erupted against relief pitcher Megan Powell by ending the duel on a 5-0 flurry.

- Leadoff infielder Kelby Goodrum expanded on a team-high in the hits department by going three-of-four in the first clash, concluding the doubleheader with four connections and three runs responsible for (two from her swing, another by her legs).

- Rightfielder Mallory Fletcher – batting in the six hole on Saturday – stacked her second straight multi-hit performance across Game 1, wrangling in the first of those five scores with the game hanging in the balance.

- Junior Kendall Owens pulled Winthrop's lead out from under them in the 6^th on a two-RBI single, giving the DP 16 runs-batted-in on the year to lead all teammates.

- Relievers were practically non-existent from both sides as Greene and rookie Kasey Wolfe both turned in seven full innings of work, although the Blue Hose were unable to clinch the series in a second outing where all three scores came in the 3^rd.

 
GAME ONE – PRESBYTERIAN (9-17, 1-0) def. WINTHROP (10-15, 1-0) – 5-2
 
- Resembling PC's most recent win over Jacksonville six days ago with an identical tally on the scoreboard, coach Williams' crew completely flipped the game on its head with the aforementioned five-run wallop.

- The Eagles put their first run on the stat sheet in an unconventional method, launching a rare inside-the-park home run with nobody on base in the top of the 3^rd.

- Presby found themselves down by a deuce in the penultimate stanza after a base hit that zipped down the third-base line, although the Fletcher/Owens/Goodrum trio countered with a higher amount of force to take their first lead in their last turn at-bat.

- Greene preserved the team's ninth W by striking out eight, never walking any of the 30 batters that came her way while giving up just one earned run.

 
GAME TWO – WINTHROP (11-15, 1-1) def. PRESBYTERIAN (9-18, 1-1) – 2-1
 
- There were six sets of zero's everywhere else except the 3^rd, a frame where the Eagles assumed a 2-0 edge before the Blue Hose answered on another RBI from Owens with two outs already achieved.

- Powell and Wolfe sparred with each other to the tune of 16 combined K's in round two, with Wolfe matching Greene from the prior contest by walking none of 28 batters.

- Winthrop's background in close contests ended up paying off for the visitors, calculating their seventh win by a single run since February.

 
UP NEXT
 
- Already with a couple of Sunday wins to their credit, Presbyterian hopes for another in what would be their third straight series victory against the Eagles dating back to 2022.

- PC accomplished a Game 3 triumph in this same matchup last April, winning a 3-1 meeting where all of those scores came in the top of the 4^th.

- ESPN+ will again broadcast the third bout tomorrow, with both adversaries searching for a 2-1 opening to Big South terrain.