Winthrop eliminates Camels 3-2 in Big South Championship

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Kelsey Ritter drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning to give Winthrop a 3-2 win over Campbell Friday in the elimination round of the Big South Conference Softball Championship at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium.

After falling behind 1-and-2, Ritter fouled off six pitches to work the count full against Julia Callicutt (14-10) before taking the decisive offering high and outside.

Third-seeded Winthrop (26-24) advances to face either top seed Longwood or fifth Charleston Southern in Friday's 7 p.m. elimination game. The tournament continues with Saturday's 10 a.m. semifinal round and Sunday's 2 p.m. championship.

Campbell (28-27) loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but failed to score.

The Camels went in front in the first inning when Ericka Nesbitt reached on a bunt single and eventually scored on Brittany Bruce's RBI hit. Camise Patterson led off the third with her 12th home run to double the lead.

Winthrop pulled with 2-1 in the third, scoring without the benefit of a hit. Two Campbell errors, a walk and a hit batter by Katie Baker accounted for the score.

The Eagles tied the game in the fifth on Maddie Antone's RBI groundout.

Sutton Watson (10-6) went the distance for Winthrop, allowing one earned run on nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Zharne Glover topped Winthrop's offense with a pair of hits.

Baker surrendered one earned run over five innings on three hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Callicutt worked the final one and 2/3 frames; giving up a run on two hits with two walks and three Ks.

In her final game in a Campbell uniform, Nesbitt finished 3-of-4. The senior shortstop finished her career with a .409 batting average, third-highest in Camel history. She also finished third among CU career leaders in runs (148), hits (260) and stolen bases (77).

Fellow senior Stephanie Jones completed her career ranked among CU's all-time leaders in batting average (5th, .354), slugging (5th, .540), runs (T4th, 144), hits (5th, 236), RBI (3rd, 136), doubles (3rd, 44), steals (5th, 68), home runs (8th, 24), and total bases (3rd, 360).

Senior infielder Brittany Bruce went 2-of-4 in her final game. The third baseman stole 42 games in her career, tied for eighth in Camel history.

Callicutt also ended her collegiate career ranked fourth among Campbell all-time strikeout leaders (366) and tied for eighth in wins (34).

Print Friendly Version