Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score

The Basics:
Score: Winthrop 4, Western Carolina 3; Winthrop 8, Western Carolina 4
Records: Western Carolina 6-14, Winthrop 16-16
Location: Rock Hill, S.C., Terry Field

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Western Carolina softball dropped a pair of close non-conference games at Winthrop, 4-3, 8-4, Thursday at Terry Field.

Turning Point:
With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Western Carolina committed back-to-back errors allowing the Eagles to score the walk-off run and capture the win.

How it Happened:
Winthrop got on the board first scoring a run in the bottom of the second. Western Carolina tied the game in the top of the third, for the first of two times, when junior Kassandra Flores hit a one-out triple and scored courtesy of an RBI single by Kara Salvo. The Eagles recaptured the lead in the bottom of the third scoring two runs. The Catamounts battled back to knot the game at 3-3 plating two runs in the fifth inning. With one out, Salvo was hit by a pitch, and with two outs, Emily Weatherman drew a walk to place runners on first and second. Courtney Price hit a two RBI double scoring Salvo and Weatherman and tie the game. In the bottom of the seventh, the Catamounts committed back-to-back errors to allow Winthrop to score and take the win.

Inside the Box Score:
- Each team had five hits in the contest.
- The Catamounts committed three errors.
- Sophomore Lily Hayes got the start and got the no-decision going 3.1 innings giving up three runs on five hits and striking out three.
- Freshman pitcher Kinsey Liscio came into the game in relief in the fourth inning with the game tied 3-3 and takes the loss. She falls to 0-1 on the year. Liscio went 2.2 innings, did not allow a hit and her only run allowed was unearned. She also had two strikeouts.

Turning Point:
Winthrop scored five runs in the bottom of the second to set the tone for the game.

How it Happened:
In the bottom of the second Winthrop plated five runs. Western Carolina whittled away at the Eagles' lead scoring three runs in the top of the third to cut the Winthrop lead to 5-3. Erica Hayes led off the third with a single through the right side and a double by Price pushed runners to second and third. Hunter Gibbons hit a two RBI double to centerfield scoring E. Hayes and Price. Gibbons scored on a RBI double by Madison Armstrong. The Eagles scored a run in the fourth and two in the fifth to push their lead to 8-3. The Catamounts added a run in the top of the sixth when Salvo hit an RBI single after Shaina Reed hit a single earlier in the frame.

Inside the Box Score:
- Western Carolina hit three doubles in a row, during its three-run third inning, with doubles by Price, Gibbons, and Armstrong all in a row.
- Three different Catamount pitchers saw action in the game.
- Reed got the start for Western Carolina going four innings giving up six runs, only two earned, on eight hits and striking out two. She takes the loss and falls to 1-3.
- Courtney Buchanan went 1.1 innings giving up two runs on six hits and striking out one.
- For the second straight game, Liscio closed out the contest tossing a one-hit shutout in the final 0.2 innings of the game. - Gibbons and Flores each had two hits in the game. Gibbons also had two RBI. - Winthrop had 15 hits in the game and Western Carolina had 11.
- The Catamounts committed three errors.

News & Notes:
- The walk-off win by Winthrop is the second time in the last five games Western Carolina has lost courtesy of a walk-off run by an opponent.
- In the doubleheader against Winthrop, Price had a double in each game and pushed her career total to 32. She is now tied with former Catamount Stephanie Beatty for the most doubles in program history. She needs one double to break the school record.
- Price became only the fourth player in Western Carolina softball history to score 100 or more runs in her career. She currently has scored 100 runs and is tied for third place with former Catamount Jordan Fulton. Price needs nine runs to break the school record of 108 runs currently held jointly by former Catamounts Beatty and Amelia Griffin.
- Another record being eyed by Price includes hits. She currently has 171 hits and sits in fourth place. She needs nine hits to move into third place and 25 hits will vault her to first place. - Flores hit the first triple of her career in the first game against Winthrop.
- Price and Gibbons are both on hitting streaks with Price having hit safely in the last six games and Gibbons the last five. Price has also reached base safely the last six games while Gibbons and Flores have reached base in the last five games respectively.
- Salvo was hit by a pitch in the second game against Winthrop and has been hit by a pitch in three of the last five games. The school record holder has currently been hit by a pitch 40 times in her career. - After being shutout in three straight games, Western Carolina has scored 20 runs over the last five games.
- In the four mid-week games this week, Price has a .500 batting average with six hits, four runs scored, two doubles, a triple and two RBI. Two other players are hitting above .400 in the last four games. Gibbons has a .455 batting average with five hits, two doubles, a homerun and four RBI. Flores is hitting .444 with four hits, a triple and two runs scored.

Up Next:
Western Carolina opens Southern Conference play Saturday traveling to Greensboro, N.C. to face UNCG. The Catamounts will play a doubleheader with the Spartans on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
and a single game also starting at 1 p.m.

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