ROCK HILL, SC—Winthrop used a complete game effort by freshman Keleigh Romine and timely hitting to earn a 5-3 victory over Coastal Carolina Friday evening in the opening game of its three-game Big South Conference series.

The victory improves to the Eagles to 13-28 on the year and 3-9 in the Big South while Coastal Carolina falls to 22-19 overall and 5-5 in the league. The two teams will be back in action against each other on Saturday in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

Romine allowed just three hits on the day as all three runs were unearned as she walked five and struck out three to earn her second career victory. It was the second consecutive start that Romine has thrown a complete game.

"I'm proud of the kids as we played hard and got good pitching," said Winthrop co-head coach Mark Cooke. "Errors have been a problem most of the year giving 3-4-5 outs to opponents but Keleigh handled it tonight. I feel like our freshmen pitchers are starting to learn to handle the mistakes and that's what we've been waiting for. Cari (Moore) and I were on the same page with pitches and Keleigh did what we asked her to do. All I can say is give the good lord credit because I had never won on ESPN. Wasn't me, it was somebody upstairs that's all I can tell you."

Winthrop grabbed a 4-0 lead after the first inning as it took advantage of a fielding error by the Chanticleers. Shayna Covington and Leah Young both reached to start things off before Morgan Lowers hit into a fielder's choice that led to the first out as Covington was out on a force play at third as the shortstop flipped the ball over. With two outs, Blake Wallert grounded to third with the bases loaded Chelsea Davilar couldn't field it cleanly and all runners were safe for a 1-0 lead. Romine then stepped in and helped her own cause as she ripped a double down the line that put two more runs across for a 3-0 lead. Brooke Ellison followed with an RBI single to right to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead after an inning.

The game remained that way until the bottom of the fourth as Romine worked her way out of a couple of jams along the way. In the bottom of the fourth Young gave Winthrop a 5-0 lead with a two-out RBI single up the middle, scoring Covington after she had moved to second on a wild pitch.

Coastal immediately responded in the top of the fifth to make it a two-run game as it took advantage of Winthrop's miscues. Angela Buccilli walked to get things started and then Bri Chiusano singled to the pitcher to put runners at first and second with no outs. Romine got the grounder she needed on the next batter, but Ellison's throw to second to get the force was off the mark as Buccilli came around to score. That brought up the league's top power hitter in Morgan Noad, but Romine got her to ground out to first as the runners advanced. Romine then got Kelsey Dominik to pop out to short for the second out, keeping the slate clean. Two batters later Annie Robinson grounded to short but Haley Zuehlke's throw to first was wide and off the glove of Young as two runners came around to score to make it a 5-3 game.
Romine shut the door the remainder of the way as she allowed just one base runner on an error. Lowers was 0-for-3 as her hitting streak came to an end at 11 games.

Dominik took the loss for the Chanticleers as she allowed five runs (one earned) on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts to fall to 14-10. Ashley Guillette tossed the final two innings holding the Eagles hitless and striking out two.