Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop baseball team held on for a 4-3 win over the Wagner Seahawks on Saturday afternoon in the second game of a three-game series at The Winthrop Ballpark.
The Eagles improve to 6-0 overall, while the Seahawks drop to 0-2 with the loss. It is the second consecutive year that Winthrop has opened the season with a 6-0 record.
Robert Lake (2-0) hurled 7.1 innings on the afternoon to pick up the victory after allowing three runs on five hits, one walk and one strikeout. Ryan Van Spronsen (0-1) took the loss after giving up all four Eagle runs on five hits, four walks and four strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched. Tyler Mizenko (2) earned the save after pitching two-thirds of an inning and gave up one hit, one walk and one strikeout.
“We pitched very well today,” said head coach Joe Hudak.
Adam Gliebe gave Winthrop a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning with his grand slam to left field off Van Spronsen. It was the first career home run for Gliebe. Sean Sullivan, Matt Pierpont and Max Vogel all scored on the long ball by Gliebe. Sullivan reached on a walk after Matt Thielepape flew out and Chas Crane struck out. Pierpont followed Sullivan with a single to right field and Vogel walked.
“I thought it was gone when he (Gliebe) hit it,” said Hudak. “It was a 3-1 count and he knew he was going to get a good pitch to hit. He has got the game-winning hit for us the last two days.”
Wagner cut the deficit to 4-1 in the fifth when Gaby Ramirez singled to right field scoring Jon Lucas. Lucas began the inning with a double into the left center field gap and moved to third after Matt Logan grounded out to Thielepape at first base.
The Seahawks made it a 4-3 game when Vin Avella homered to left field in the sixth inning. Seth Boyd would score on the home run after he singled prior to Avella's at-bat.
Mizenko came on with one out in the ninth inning and quickly struck out Avella swinging, but the ball got away from Tyler Donovan in the dirt and Avella was able to reach first base. Lucas then singled to right field and Brian Martutartus walked to load the bases. Mizenko was able to end the game after getting Michael Annunziata to hit into a 1-2-3 double play.
“With Mizenko out there on the mound, there was never any panic,” Hudak said. “He is a great pitcher and made some great pitches (today). He's a confident kid.”
Thielepape had a team-high two hits on the afternoon for the Eagles, while five different players added one hit each. Lucas led Wagner with a 2-for-4 performance, and Avella had two RBI.
“We have just found ways to win games,” Hudak added. “We're 6-0 and certainly can't beat that. We have won them in a lot of different ways. Hopefully we can just keep it going.”
Winthrop and the Seahawks will conclude the series with a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday afternoon.
