Box Score Box Score
SURPRISE, AZ – The Winthrop baseball team wrapped up its play in the 2012 Surprise Coca-Cola Classic on Sunday morning with a 6-2 defeat to the Saint Louis Billikens at KC Field No. 5.
The Eagles fall to 1-11 on the season, while the Billikens improve to 7-5 overall.
Nick Bates (1-0) earned the win pitching 5.0 innings and gave up two runs on three hits, two walks and five strikeouts.
Preston Johnson (0-2) took the loss surrendering five runs on three hits, two walks and no strikeouts in one inning of work.
Tyler Klitsch tossed a career-high 7.1 innings of relief of Johnson allowing one run on five hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
Saint Louis plated one run in the top of the first and four in the second as it jumped out to a 5-0 lead over Winthrop heading into the bottom of the third inning. Grant Nelson drove in Marco DiRoma the first run of the game with one out in the first on his RBI sacrifice fly to right field. The Billikens five-run second inning was highlighted by a two RBI double to left field by Mike Levine and a two RBI single to left field by Alex Kelly.
Klitsch then came on in relief of Johnson in the second inning and held Saint Louis scoreless until the top of the ninth when it scored once on Kelly's RBI single to right field. The single by Kelly, which scored Alec Sole, came against Eagle reliever
Michael Gilroy after Klitsch allowed a leadoff single to Sole to start the ninth. The Billikens extended their lead at that point over Winthrop to 6-2.
The Eagles plated two runs in the bottom of the third on a two RBI double to left center field by
Matt Lobacz.
Tyler Donovan and
Jason Driver both came home on the double by Lobacz as Donovan was hit by a pitch to start the third and Driver walked two batters later.
Lobacz had a team-high two hits and two RBI to lead Winthrop offensively, while Kelly posted two hits and three RBI for Saint Louis.
The Eagles will be back in action on Wednesday, Mar. 7 when they will host the College of Charleston Cougars at The Winthrop Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
