Senior Brittany Hay gave the University of Evansville softball team its first lead in the top of the 6th inning but Winthrop responded with two runs in the top half of the 7th to take a 4-3 win over the Purple Aces on Friday in game one of the Red and Black Showcase hosted by the University of Georgia.
“I really loved the way we made adjustments and fought back to take the lead in the 6th,†Aces head coach Mat Mundell said. This team showed a lot of heart and fight. Overall, it was a great softball game. There are just a few little things we can improve on.â€
Winthrop (1-0) got on the board first when Sabrina Shroades doubled to right-center to plate Shayna Covington in the top of the first. The Eagles struck again in the top of the fourth when Ashley Westbrooks stole home on a double steal.
Evansville (2-2) cut the Eagle lead in half in the 5th. Alex Latoria reached on an error to lead off the inning and Deja Shelton came in to pinch run. Great base running by the sophomore saw her advance all the way to third on a wild pitch. McKenzie Johnson made Winthrop pay as her single brought home Shelton.
Brittany Hay was the hero in the 6th inning when a 2-run single gave UE its first lead of the game at 3-2. With one out, Eryn Gold reached on a single before Morgan Florey doubled to right. Next up was Hay, who laced a single to center to score Gould and Olivia Cheatham, who pinch ran for Florey.
Down to their final three outs, the Eagles battled back, hitting a pair of 1-out singles. With two outs, the winning runs scored on an Evansville error as Morgan Lowers and Covington crossed the plate to make it a 4-3 game. The Aces went down in order to finish the game in the bottom of the frame.
UE finished the day with five hits off of Winthrop starter Kiley Majette, who went the distance in the win. Aces starter Morgan Florey also tossed the full seven innings. She gave up four runs with just one being earned on seven hits. She struck out six.
Tomorrow, the Aces return to the diamond for two games. The day starts against the host Georgia Bulldogs at 2:30 p.m. CT before the squad turns right around to face Winthrop at 5 p.m. CT.
