ROCK HILL, SC—A five-run third inning helped Winthrop softball to a 9-4 victory over Wagner College in its home opener of the season on the first day of the Adidas Tournament.

Winthrop improved to 6-9 and captured its home opener for the second straight season and the third time in the last four. Wagner is now 1-1 after the loss. Winthrop will face Hartford on Saturday at 2 p.m. and then take on Austin Peay at 4 p.m. as both games will be played on Terry Field.

"We haven't quite put together a complete game yet but we did a good job today with driving in runs and had some good pitching," said Winthrop head coach Mark Cooke. "We had a couple of fielding mistakes but I thought we played well. We're starting to really stroke the ball well at the plate."

Senior Kristy Noble's two-RBI triple highlighted a five-run third inning pushed the Eagles from a one-run lead to a three-run advantage at 5-2. After Zharne Glover drew a bases loaded walk to make it 6-2, Maddie Antone ripped a single up the middle, scoring two for an 8-2 lead.

The Eagles jumped on Wagner in the first inning with three runs as senior Kelsey Ritter supplied a two-run home run to left center after Antone had singled home Glover on a single through the hole at third.

In the top of the third inning the Seahawks made it a one-run game. McKaleigh Goodale led off with a single and two batters later Taylor Beeson singled up the middle. Then with two outs and the bases loaded and two outs, Hana Gilbert hit a grounder to second base that wasn't handled well by Haley Zuehlke and the ball bounced off her and into right field allowing two runs to score.

After the Eagles took a 9-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Wagner got two more runs back as Brenda Bott provided a ground out RBI and Laura Petri singled up the middle but was thrown out at second trying to stretch the hit to a double.

Sara Allen started the game in the circle for the Eagles allowing two earned runs on seven hits with a walk and not strikeouts as she improved to 4-3 on the year. Junior Dallas King tossed 2.1 innings relief and didn't allow a run or a hit while walking one and striking out five. King has not allowed an earned run in the last 15.2 innings.

Ritter and Paige Haley finished the day with three hits as the Eagles finished with a total of 11. Haley extended her hitting streak to four games and has now reached base in nine straight. Antone finished with two hits and tied career-high with three RBI while Noble finished with three RBI as well.

Samantha Bedker took the loss for Wagner after allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 2.2 innings as she falls to 0-1 on the year. Beeson and Kelsey Parker each had two hits for Wagner.