Box Score Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC – The Western Carolina Catamounts scored 10 runs in the first four innings of play on Tuesday afternoon as it defeated the Winthrop Eagles 13-3 at The Winthrop Ballpark. It was the first midweek game of the season for both teams.

The Eagles fall to 0-4 on the season, while the Catamounts improve to 4-0 overall.

Adam Curtis (1-0) pitched 5.0 scoreless innings against Winthrop and allowed just one hit on one walk and three strikeouts en route to the win on the mound. Mitchell Knox (0-2) took the loss surrendering seven runs (six earned) on six hits, two walks and no strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work.

“The bottom line is that we have to pitch and hit better,” said head coach Tom Riginos. “Those are two major parts of the game and we didn't do either of them very well tonight.”

Western Carolina struck first with a run in the top of the first when Aaron Attaway scored after Jacob Hoyle reached on an error by the Eagles with two outs in the inning. Attaway led off the game with a first-pitch double to right field.

The Catamounts added to their lead with a five-run second inning highlighted by Hoyle's two-run homer to right field. Attaway and Heffley also added an RBI each in the inning, while Julian Ridings scored on a balk. Western Carolina plated two runs apiece in the third and fourth innings to extend its lead to 10-0 over Winthrop. Adam Martin led off the top of the third with a solo home run to left field, and Attaway drove in Tyler White on his RBI single. The fourth inning saw Ridings and Attaway record an RBI each as Ridings reached on a fielder's choice and Attaway singled to right field.

Patrick Gamblin got the Eagles on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning on his two RBI double to center field which brought home Leighton Daniels and Elliott Caldwell. Daniels walked to start the inning and Caldwell reached on an error. Gamblin drove in his third run of the game with a solo homer to left field in the bottom of the eighth which trimmed Winthrop's deficit to 13-3. The long ball by Gamblin was his first of the season. Prior to Gamblin's homer in the eighth, the Catamounts plated three runs in the top of the seventh. Hoyle added his third RBI of the game on a double, while Dykota Spiess posted an RBI single to left field. Hoyle also scored when Martin hit into a double play.

Gamblin had two hits in the contest with three RBI to lead the Eagles offensively. The three RBI by Gamblin is the 13^th multi-RBI game of his career. Attaway went 4-for-6 at the plate for Western Carolina, and had three RBI along with Hoyle.

Winthrop will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 24 as it will travel to Athens, GA to face the ninth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs at Foley Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.