MT. PLEASANT, SC— Winthrop split on its first day of competition at the Holy City Showdown at Patriots Point, Saturday afternoon. The Eagles opened the day with a 3-1 loss to Eastern Illinois before capping it off with a 6-1 win over Norfolk State.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORDS: Winthrop (9-7), Eastern Illinois (15-6), Norfolk State (9-15)
WINTHROP LEADERS: Keleigh Romine (3-for-6, 2 runs, 2B, SB),
Ansley Gilreath (2-for-5, solo HR),
Morgan Lowers (3-for-7, RBI, 2B),
Sabrina Shroades (Win, 7 IP, 6H, 1R, 3BB, 6K / 1-for-2, 2B, 2SAC)
COACHES QUOTE
Head Coach Mark Cooke~
"First game we just threw the ball over and gave them all their runs. Kiley threw a great game and that's a very good ball club she faced but we just made too many mistakes. Second game we played really well and hit the ball really well that game. Sabrina threw a good game and made the right adjustments. We've got two tough ones again tomorrow."
WHAT HAPPENED
vs. Eastern Illinois
- Eagles threatened in the top of the first as Morgan Lowers singled with one out and then Gilreath singled with two outs, but Keleigh Romine struck out swinging
- All of the Eastern Illinois runs came in the fifth inning after just two hits in the first four innings
- It started with a one out walk and then Kiley Majette hit the next batter
- Majette struck out the next batter looking before a throwing error led to the first run and kept the inning alive
- Eastern Illinois next batter Mady Poulter tripled to center, scoring two more runs for a 3-0 lead
- Ansley Gilreath tried to start a rally in the top of the seventh as she led off the inning with a home run to left, but that was all the Eagles could muster up
- Majette suffered the loss after allowing three runs on three hits with two walks and six strikeout as she falls to 5-3
- Jessica Wireman earned the win for the Panthers as she allowed one run on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts and improved to 6-2
vs. Norfolk State
- Winthrop jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning
- Romine led off the inning with a double to right center and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Sabrina Shroades
- Romine scored on a fielder's choice when the pitcher made a poor throw home allowing Romine to cross the plate
- Jill Derrick singled to put runners at the corners and then Makenzye Whitman made it 2-0 with a grounder to second as Derrick was out at second while Tori Walker scored
- The Spartans cut the Winthrop lead in half in the bottom of the second as Jazzmaine Hammond led off with a bunt single followed by a double to left by Tuli Iosefa as Hammond came all the way around to score
- Winthrop extended its lead to two runs again in the fourth as the Eagles pulled off a double-steal with Romine on third and Walker on first
- In the 6th inning, the Eagles made it 4-1 when the Eagles pulled off another double-steal with pinch-runner Kamryn Culp on third and Derrick on first
- Ashley Westbrooks and Lowers pushed the lead to 6-1 after back-to-back RBI singles with two outs
- Shroades evened her record at 2-2 after allowing one run on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts
- Westbrooks, Lowers and Romine all had multiple hits in the contest
EXTRA BASES
- Romine's three hits in the win over Norfolk State were a career-high and the third of her career
- Shroades tossed her third consecutive complete game and second straight allowing just one run
- Winthrop has now won five of its last seven games
- The Eagles had 12 hits on the day in two games with four of them for extra bases
ON DECK
Winthrop be back in action Sunday morning at 10 a.m. as it takes on Wright State and then the host College of Charleston at 12:15 p.m.
