ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop baseball team opened its three-game Big South series against the High Point Panthers with a 7-3 win on Friday evening at Williard Stadium.

The Eagles improve to 12-13 on the season and 4-3 in the Big South, while the Panthers fall to 15-13 overall and 3-4 in conference play.

Tyler Mizenko (3-1) earned the victory throwing 6.1 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits, no walks and four strikeouts. Cody Allen (2-3) took the loss surrendering five runs (three earned) on eight hits, two walks and eight strikeouts. Eric Ruth (2) picked up the save tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief on two hits, no walks and one strikeout.

“It was a very solid win,” said head coach Tom Riginos. “Tyler Mizenko came out and gave us a chance to win like he does every time. He had a rough second inning, but after that he really settled in and did a nice job.”

Winthrop took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Patrick Gamblin stole third base and scored on a throwing error by Kyle Mahoney. Gamblin started the inning with a double into the left center field gap.

High Point responded with three runs in its half of the second to take a 3-1 lead. Mizenko got Mahoney on a strikeout to start the inning, and then hit Robbie Gilles and Ryan Retz with pitches. Gilles then came home on Mike Gragilla's RBI single to center field and Retz followed on an RBI double by Murray White IV into right center field. White IV later came home on Drew Geissinger's RBI single to left field.

The Eagles cut the deficit to 3-2 with one run in the fourth inning when Gamblin scored on an RBI infield single by TJ Olesczuk.

Winthrop then took the lead for good in the fifth inning plating three runs to go ahead 5-3. All three Eagle runs came in the span of three at-bats by Gamblin, Eddie Rohan and Brett Thomas. Rohan got the scoring started with his RBI single to right field, and Gamblin followed in the next at-bat with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field. Thomas brought Rohan in for the final run with his two-out RBI single into left center field.

The Panthers attempted to make it a 5-4 contest in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single to center field by Scott Glover with two outs. Mike Mercurio attempted to score from second base, but Cam Walters threw a strike to Rohan at home plate. Rohan applied the tag to Mercurio and denied High Point a chance to make it a one-run ballgame.

“That was a big play by Cam,” added Riginos. “He made a great throw and I am proud of him.”

The Eagles added two insurance runs in the ninth inning on Chas Crane's RBI sacrifice fly to center field and another RBI single by Thomas.

“We played a really clean game, and that was the big difference,” Riginos said.

Five different Winthrop hitters had two hits each in the series opener, while Thomas drove in a team-high two RBI. Mercurio, Geissinger, Gragilla and White IV all posted two hits apiece for the Panthers. Geissinger, Gragilla and White IV brought in all three High Point runs.

The Eagles and Panthers will resume their series with game two on Saturday, Apr. 2 at 6 p.m.