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SPARTANBURG, SC— Sutton Watson tossed a complete game one-hit shutout to lead the Winthrop softball team to a 1-0 victory over Samford after suffering a loss earlier in the day to George Mason, 3-1.

Winthrop was participating in the Firehouse Subs Spartan Invitational hosted by USC Upstate, but its schedule was cut in half as Saturday's games were canceled due to the forecast of inclement weather.

Watson threw her third career complete game and second of the season as she allowed just one hit, no walks and recorded a career-best eight strikeouts to improve to 1-1 on the year. The victory improved the Eagles to 2-4 on the season. Sutton ended up with five innings of no-hit ball as Madison Dickey broke up the bid with a lead-off single in the sixth.

“Sutton threw a great game today. She had everything going and did a good job mixing pitches,” said head coach Mark Cooke. “We had a tough loss in the first game of the day, but their pitcher threw a great ball game and we just couldn't hit. I'm really pleased with the way we played today.”
Winthrop's only run of the game came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Kristy Noble connected with her seventh career home run and first of the season with a shot to right center.

Winthrop fell 3-1 to George Mason in the first game of the day as sophomore Sara Allen and freshman Dallas King turned in solid pitching performances.

Allen suffered the loss and falls to 0-1 on the year as she allowed two runs on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts in four innings of work. King tossed the final three innings of the game allowing an unearned run on no hits and a walk.

The game was scoreless through three innings until the Patriots broke through first with two runs in the top of the fourth. Cori Prince drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a double to right center by Brooke Blankenship to put two runners in scoring position. Allen got Megan Blank to ground out for the second out and the runners did not move. Then Prince scored on a wild pitch and Blankenship moved to third. One batter later, Christina Gabriele singled up the middle for a 2-0 lead.

The Lady Eagles were held hitless through five innings by Gabriele until the no-hit bid was broken up by Zharne Glover in the top of the sixth. The freshman lead-off hitter reached on a bunt single to get things going for Winthrop. Glover stole second and then Noble walked to put runners and first and second with one out. Winthrop loaded the bases as McKenzi Corn also reached on a bunt single. This brought up senior Chelsey Schoenfeldt and she delivered with a single to the left side as only one runner was able to cross the plate. Gabriele retired Kathryn Eberlin on a foul ball to the catcher and then struck out Kelsey Ritter to keep George Mason in the lead.

The Patriots (2-3) added an insurance run in the seventh courtesy of a couple of errors by the Eagles infield.  

With Saturday's action canceled for the Eagles, they will be out of action the next six days before heading to Tuscaloosa, AL to participate in the Easton Bama Bash hosted by defending national champion Alabama. Winthrop will open up with Western Illinois at noon Friday, Feb. 22 and then face Iowa at 2:30 p.m. the same day.