Greenville, S.C. – Winthrop's Emmy Cardenas hurled a six-hit shutout to propel the Eagles to a 5-0 victory over Furman in the final game of the 2026 Paladin Invitational Sunday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
 
The right-hander needed just 89 pitches to finish the complete game and allowed just one walk while striking out one batter over seven innings. She improved to 2-4 in the circle as the Eagles upped their record to 10-10.
 
Winthrop scored single runs in each of the first two innings to grab the lead as Grayson Buckner delivered an RBI single in the first and leadoff hitter Rebecca Amos singled to drive in another run in the top of the second. Peyton Bryden's fifth-inning solo home run to left field stretched the margin to 3-0 before Amos and Bryden reached on back-to-back RBI singles in the seventh for the final 5-0 scoreline.
 
Amos and Bryden each went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI to lead the Winthrop offense and second baseman Carli Pearson added a pair of hits in three trips to the plate. 
 
Freshman Kristyn Embler (2-6) took the loss in the circle for Furman. The rookie right-hander surrendered five runs on nine hits over seven innings of work. She walked three batters and notched two strikeouts.
 
Sophomore Katie Peeler went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Paladins.
 
Furman (2-18) returns to action next Friday at the Mountaineer Classic in Boone, N.C.
 
Paladin Invitational
Friday
Seton Hall 10, West Georgia 9
Winthrop 6, West Georgia 1
Seton Hall 10, Winthrop 1
Furman 3, George Mason 0
Saturday
Seton Hall 6, Furman 3
West Georgia 6, Furman 4
Seton Hall 8, Winthrop 7
West Georgia 6, George Mason 3 (8 inn.)
Winthrop 10, George Mason 7
Sunday
Seton Hall 13, George Mason 6
Winthrop 5, Furman 0
 
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