ROCK HILL, SC—Coastal Carolina's Ashley Frederick threw seven innings of relief allowing just five hits and no runs to lead her squad to a 6-1 victory over Winthrop, Sunday afternoon in Big South Conference softball action at Terry Field.
Frederick entered the game in the first inning as the Lady Eagles (25-25, 8-10 Big South) loaded the bases and tied the game at 1-1 as Chelsey Schoenfeldt walked, scoring Megan Chapman and keeping the bases loaded. Frederick came in and struck out Ashlee Revell and got Megan Evans to line out into a double play. From that point on Winthrop couldn't get it going offensively. Frederick ended up with just one walk and nine strikeouts to improve to 14-15 on the year.
Coastal Carolina (25-26, 6-9 Big South) took a 1-0 lead exactly the way Winthrop answered in the bottom half of the first as Michelle Evans drew a walk with the bases loaded. Cari Wooldridge was able to get out of the inning without any further damage as she struck out Alyssa Tornatore for the third out.
In the fourth inning Winthrop had a chance to take a 2-1 lead as it had runners at first and second with two outs, but pinch-hitter Brittany Stoudemire struck out swinging.
The Chanticleers did take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth as Cacia Pierre hit a ball up the middle that was kept from going to the outfield on a diving play by Revell. Ashley Pisone was on second but did not stop as she rounded third and came across the plate for the lead.
The game opened up in the sixth inning as Evans replaced Wooldridge in the circle. After retiring the first two batters, Evans ran into trouble and ended up yielding three unearned runs. After the second out, Olivia Piccirillo fought off an inside pitch for a single to center field. Mecaela Ballard reached on an error as Revell dropped the throw to first base from Evans. Then Pisone hit a blooper over the head of Evans that fell in for an infield single. Sarah Maples stepped in an hit a fly ball to left center that went off the glove for a diving Ashleigh Jackson, which cleared the bases.
Wooldridge took the loss as she falls to 14-13 after allowing two runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
Chapman, who scored the only run of the game for Winthrop, finished 0-for-3 as her hitting streak comes to an end at seven games. Taylor Wright had two hits on the day for the Lady Eagles.
Jazmin Daigle and Pierre each had two hits for Coastal Carolina.
Winthrop will wrap-up its regular season next weekend as Elon comes to town for a double-header on Saturday, May 8 at 3 p.m. Coastal Carolina heads to Lynchburg, VA to wrap-up its regular season schedule with a three-game series against Liberty that begins on Friday, May 7 at 2 p.m.
