MOUNT PLEASANT, SC— Winthrop softball has won three straight after defeated Illinois-Chicago 3-2 an Monmouth 4-2, Saturday morning on the second day of the Cougar Classic at Patriots Point.
The Eagles even their record to 4-4 and will be back in action Sunday starting with Lipscomb at 11:30 a.m. and then complete the weekend with a 1:30 p.m. contest against the host College of Charleston.
"We battled back for both wins today," said Winthrop co-head coach
Mark Cooke. "Kiley got us deep into the game and Keleigh got a solid save for us. Our freshman pitcher (
Madyson Watson) was a little shaky at first but settled down as the game progressed. Timely hitting in both games shows the team is maturing and playing as a unit. These were great wins today."
A 3-run sixth propelled the Eagles to their 4-2 win over Monmouth to push the win streak to three games. Trailing 2-1 heading into the sixth, the Eagles got things going right away as
Morgan Lowers led off with a single.
Ashley Westbrooks stepped in and hammered a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left for her first collegiate home run. The Eagles added an insurance run when
Ansley Gilreath tripled, scoring
Blake Wallert.
Watson, who made her first collegiate start in the circle, closed out the seventh 1-2-3 to earn her first win and complete game. Watson allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Monmouth and Winthrop both scored in the first inning and then the Hawks took a 2-1 lead in the second. That lead stood until the Eagles three runs in the sixth.
In the first game of the day the Eagles held on for the 3-2 win for a second straight victory.
The Eagles fell behind 1-0 in the first inning, but tied the game and took the lead in the third.
Paige Haley singled to left with one out and moved to second on a throwing error by the left fielder. Then
Shayna Covington singled to the pitcher and Haley moved to third.
Maddie Antone plated Haley with a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game. Winthrop took the lead when Covington stole second and then scored on a single by Lowers.
Winthrop added the eventual game-winning run in the fourth as
Leah Young led off with a single and then stole second to get into scoring position. After back-to-back outs,
Brooke Ellison came through with a single, scoring Young.
The Flames did have a runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh as Jasmine Willis stood at third base with one out. Willis walked to lead off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice and took third on a wild pitch. However,
Keleigh Romine struck out the next two batters to earn her second career save as she tossed the final two innings allowing one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
Majette earned the win in the circle as she allowed one earned run on five hits with two walks and a strikeout in five innings for her first win of the season (1-3).
Westbrooks finished with three hits on the day and extended her hitting streak to eight games. Her three RBI in the win over Monmouth were a career-high. Lowers and Haley both had two hits on the day.
