Winthrop softball drops doubleheader to James Madison
Winthrop softball dropped a doubleheader to a strong James Madison team, falling 1-0 and 6-1 Tuesday evening at Terry Field in Rock Hill.
The Eagles fall to 11-13, while the Dukes improve to 12-6.
“We played a really good team,” Winthrop coach Mark Cooke said. “We played two scrappy ball games.”
The Eagles fell behind in the top of the first of Game One as Watson and Megan Good battled in the circle. Watson gave up a two-out single through the left side that scored the only run of the ballgame. Watson fell to 3-4 on the year after allowing the one run on seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Good tossed a complete game shutout, allowing three hits with a walk and eight strikeouts to improve to 6-0.
The Eagles threatened in the top of the fourth as Paige Haley and Zharne Glover led off with back-to-back singles. That brought up Maddie Antone who ripped a line drive toward third that was snagged by Madyson Moran to keep the sheet clean. Good then got Kelsey Ritter to foul out, which Haley took advantage of and moved to third. Leah Young ended the threat with a ground out to third.
Winthrop had runners in scoring position again in the fifth as K.J. Uyeno doubled down the left field line to put runners at second and third with two outs. Haley flied out to left to end the inning.
In the second game, the Eagles were within reach heading into the final inning but a two-run blast with two outs by Jailyn Ford to center sealed the win for the Dukes.
Winthrop fell behind 4-0 but got a run back in the bottom of the third. Uyeno led off the inning with a walk followed by a single to right center by Haley. At that point, Ford replaced H. Kiefer in the circle. Glover walked to load the bases with no outs, but Ford was able to keep the damage minimal as the lone Eagles run came on a fielder’s choice by Antone to short. Ford didn’t allow a base runner the remainder of the game.
“I’m real proud of the effort, and I think we’re really becoming a good ball club,” Cooke said. “I’m real happy with the way we’re playing.”
Sara Allen started for the Eagles in Game Two, falling to 6-4 after allowing four runs on six hits with no walks and a strikeout in three innings. Watson finished the game, allowing two runs on six hits with no walks and a strikeout in four innings.
This story was originally published March 11, 2015 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Winthrop softball drops doubleheader to James Madison."