ROCK HILL, SC— Winthrop softball split on day two of the Winthrop Invitational with a 9-2 win over Cleveland State and a 3-0 loss to DePaul, Saturday afternoon at Terry Field.

The Eagles are now 11-9 on the year and will face DePaul (8-6) and will wrap-up play this weekend on Sunday, Mar. 5 at 10 a.m. when these same two teams meet again.

"I thought after the first inning we played really good (against DePaul)," said co-head coach Mark Cooke "They put up national power quality team out each year. We know we can play with them we just have to make adjustments in the batter's box. Kiley (Majette) gave up two in the first and settled down. I like the way we compete, this team battles hard. We're getting there. This is going to be a good ball club by the end of the year."

The Eagles managed just two hits off Blue Demon starter Kennedy Garcia, despite hitting several balls hard. Garcia improved to 3-2 on the year. Majette took the loss in the circle for the Eagles as she allowed three runs on five hits
with three walks and five strikeouts.

DePaul got all the runs it needed in the first, scoring on a wild pitch and an error. The best chance the Eagles had to get on the scoreboard came in the second inning as Ashley Westbrooks doubled with one out and then advanced to third on an illegal pitch. However, Garcia was able to get Ansley Gilreath to strikeout and then Madison Templeton to pop out.

Against Cleveland State the Eagles broke open a 1-1 game with two runs in the third and two more in the fourth. It started in the third with Jill Derrick scoring on an error and then Leah Young doubling home Maddie Antone for a 3-1 lead. Derrick made it 4-1 with an RBI ground out in the fourth and then Paige Haley doubled to right center with two outs, scoring Gilreath.

In the top of the fifth inning the Vikings made it 5-2, but Winthrop responded with a run in the bottom half and then three more in the sixth. Gilreath provided an RBI double in the fifth and then Young with an RBI single with the bases loaded followed by a two-RBI single two batters later by Wesbrooks.

Freshman Sabrina Shroades tossed four innings allowing two runs on four hits to improve to 2-0 on the year. Sophomore Keleigh Romine tossed three innings of relief to earn her second save on the season and third in career as she allowed just two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Westbrooks finished the game 2-for-2 with a run and three RBI while Young was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Antone, Haley and Gilreath all had two hits apiece.