Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC – Adam Gliebe's game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Winthrop baseball team a 3-2 win over the Wagner Seahawks on Friday evening at The Winthrop Ballpark, in the first game of a three-game series.
The Eagles improve to 5-0 on the season with the victory, while the Seahawks fall to 0-1 overall.
"I don't think we ever had the lead until the last inning," said head coach Joe Hudak. "To be able to do that, I think, is good. It's good to be able to win ballgames a lot of different ways."
Tommy Lawrence (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win after pitching two-thirds of an inning and allowed no runs on no hits. Jon Lucas (0-1) took the loss after surrendering one run on one hit.
Matt Thielepape led off the ninth with a double down the left field line and then advanced to third after Jon Lucas balked. David Rees then came on in relief of Lucas, and struck out Chas Crane swinging before issuing back-to-back intentional walks to Sean Sullivan and Matt Pierpont to load the bases for Gliebe.
The Seahawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first off starter Matteo D'Angelo on Vin Avella's RBI groundout to second base. Jared Gruccio scored on the groundout after reaching on an error earlier in the inning.
Winthrop responded with a run of its own in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1 when Pierpont hit into a double play, but brought home Crane in the process. Crane led off the inning with a walk, and moved over to third base after stealing second and Sullivan's infield single.
Wagner regained the lead in its half of the third when Avella drove in Damian Csakai with a single into the right center field gap. Csakai reached on a single to right field in his at-bat and Gruccio followed with a single, moving Csakai over to second base.
Pierpont tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning with his RBI single to left field scoring Thielepape from second. Thielepape started the inning off with a single of his own before stealing second base.
The Seahawks loaded the bases in the top of the eighth inning with two outs off Greg Hough, who came on in relief for D'Angelo with one out in the inning. Hough struck out Seth Boyd before Avella and Tommy Higgins both singled, and Brian Martutartus walked. Wagner was unable to score in the eighth after Hough struck out Lucas swinging.
"Our guys played well (today)," Hudak added. "You can't ask for anything more."
Thielepape and Pierpont led the Eagles offensively with two hits apiece, while Pierpont and Gliebe drove in both runs. Avella went 3-for-4 on the night for Wagner and drove in two RBI.
The series between the Seahawks and Winthrop will resume with game two on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m.
