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ATHENS, GA— After dropping the morning game 1-0 to James Madison on Saturday, Winthrop softball bounced back in the evening defeat North Texas 5-2 on the second day of the Red and Black Showcase hosted by the University of Georgia.

Winthrop is now 2-2 on the year and will wrap-up the Red and Black Showcase on Sunday with a 10 a.m. game vs. North Texas (1-3).

North Texas took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth but the Eagles responded with a 4-run fifth. Alex White came in as a pinch-hitter in the top of the inning and drew a walk to lead things off. After a Brooke Tracy bunt single put runners at first and second, Winthrop failed to move the runners over on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Zharne Glover as she popped it up for the first out. Naomi Stevens then popped out to second for the second out as McKenzi Corn drew a walk to load the bases. That set the stage for Mel Andrea as she blasted the ball over the fence for a grand slam.

"Sutton (Watson) did as good of a job as she always," said Winthrop head coach Mark Cooke. "The defense looked very good today. We waited a long time to hit the ball but when we did we got all over it. After day two we're 2-2 and we're excited as the kids are playing great. Dallas threw it really, really well today, I thought she was tremendous."

Kristy Noble added some insurance as the led off the sixth inning with a home run to left field, the 16^th of her career.

North Texas added another run in the bottom of the seventh as it tried to rally. With a runner on third and two outs, Jordan Terry singled to left center to make it 5-2. Watson closed the door by getting the next batter to pop out as she improves to 2-0 on the year.

Watson allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits with five walks and two strikeouts.

North Texas' Madison Thompson started the game in the circle as she allowed five runs on five hits in five innings of work. She walked three and struck out one as she falls to 0-1 on the year.

In the first game of the day, the Eagles squared off against one of the best pitchers they'll see all season in Jailyn Ford. The sophomore, a member of the USA Jr. National Team, tossed a complete game three-hit shutout walking none and striking out eight.

Stevens gave the Eagles a good scoring chance in the first inning as she tripled to left center with one out, but Corn struck out looking and Andrea went down swinging.

Another opportunity to get on the scoreboard came in the sixth inning with two outs. Stevens reached on an error, which was followed a Corn single to left as she advanced to second on an error by the leftfielder and Stevens moved to third. However, Ford got out of the jam as she struck out Andrea to end the inning.

The lone run in the game came in the top of the fourth inning as Caitlin Sandy reached on an error with one out. Caitlin Viafora pinch-ran for her and stole second. After Taylor Newton flied out to left for the second out, Tahli Moore singled to right as Viafora came around to score before Moore was thrown out trying to go to second.

King suffered the loss in the circle but tossed a complete game allowing one unearned run on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Corn and Andrea each finished with two hits on the day while Corn has reached base in all four games this season.