ROCK HILL, SC— Winthrop softball split a doubleheader with Radford Saturday afternoon as it captured the first game 6-3 before falling in the final game of the series 2-1.

The Eagles take the series from the Highlanders as they are now 12-23 on the year and 2-6 in the Big South while Radford is 18-10 overall and 3-3 in the league. Winthrop is back in action on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. when it heads to Charlotte for a non-conference doubleheader.

"We're finally playing up to our ability," said Winthrop co-head coach Mark Cooke. "I'm tickled to death for the way Keleigh Romine is coming in and closing games. Our pitching is starting to come together and that's going to help us. Defensively, expect for the two bunts in the last game, we played great defense today. I hate to lose a game 2-1 like that when we hit the ball so hard. But I think we're growing up, I'm real proud of them."

In the first game the Eagles led 5-2 after four innings, Radford pulled within two runs in the top of the 5^th when Kayla Bishton hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Marissa Gagliano, who had led off the inning with a single. With a runner at third and one out, Chace Helms got the next two outs to keep it a multi-run lead. That was all the Highlanders got the remainder of the game as Romine came in and closed the door tossing the final two innings for her first career save. Romine didn't allow a hit and struck out three with no walks.

The Eagles put three runs across in the first inning to jump on the Highlanders early. Morgan Lowers led off with a double down the right field line and two batters later Leah Young walked to put runners at first and second. Megan Winningham stepped in and delivered a single to through the right side that scored Lowers and Young moved to third. Zharne Glover plated Young with a grounder to second that led to Winningham out at second for the second out of the inning. Blake Wallert battled through an eight-pitch at-bat to double down the left field line that scored Glover after she had put herself in scoring position by stealing second.

With two outs in the top of the fourth the Highlanders got two back with a two-run double by Hannah Medlam to left center. The ball went by Shayna Covington and to the wall as she collected it and threw it to shortstop Haley Zuehlke who tried to get the second run out with a throw to home. The throw was just late as Paige Haley popped up quick and her throw to third base was in time to get Medlam trying to get to third on the throw home to end the inning.

Winthrop matched Radford's run total from the top half of the inning as it loaded the bases with two outs. Glover scored the first run on a passed ball and then Lowers singled up the middle toward the bag at second base as the shortstop made a diving effort to keep the ball in the infield but Lowers was safe at first with the hit and Kim Ryder scored for a 5-2 lead.
Helms got her first collegiate win the circle as she tossed five innings allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Radford starting pitcher Abby Morrow dropped to 10-7 on the year after tossing one inning allowing three runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. Kayla Huffman tossed the final five innings allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

After the two teams combined for 18 runs in the first two games of the series the final game had just three with the Highlanders putting up two in the 5^th and holding on for the win.

Lauren McIntyre tossed a complete game for the Highlanders as she allowed just one run on five hits with no walks and two strikeouts with a total of 61 pitches. Winthrop's Kiley Majette tossed 4.1 innings allowing two runs on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Romine finished the game tossing the final 2.2 innings allowing no hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Romine finished the day tossing 4.2 innings and not allowing a hit or a walk and recording six strikeouts.

In the 5^th Medlam singled to lead off the inning and that was followed by back-to-back sacrifice bunt attempts that turned into singles to load the bases with no outs. Majette got the next batter to pop out down the left field line before Davis ripped a shot past third base to score two runs.

Winthrop cut the Radford lead in half in the bottom of the fifth when Glover belted her first career home run over the left field fence to lead off the bottom frame. The Eagles loaded the bases in the sixth inning with one out after singles by Lowers and Haley and Young reaching on an error on a grounder to short. That brought up Winningham as she hit a low, soft line drive to first that was caught by Davis. On the play Lowers moved down the third base line too far and Davis threw the ball to third to record an inning-ending double play.

Lowers finished the day with four hits and finished with a total of seven in the series to lead Winthrop.