Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC -- Winthrop's bats were stifled Saturday afternoon as Penn shut out the Eagles 7-0 at The Winthrop Ballpark.
 
Winthrop managed to chalk up eight hits, but Penn starter Dan Gautieri (2-0) went the distance for the Quakers shut down the Eagles' offense as he whiffed seven and did not walk a batter.
 
Penn broke the game open with a big fifth inning scoring five runs (three unearned).  The first five Quaker batters reached base in the inning while Spencer Branigan delivered the big hit with a two-RBI single to center field scoring Joey Greco and Ryan Deitrich.
 
The victory  evens the Quakers record at 4-4 while Winthrop dropped its sixth straight to fall to 3-11 on the season.
 
The Eagles look to get back in the win column when they face Penn Sunday at 1 p.m. in the series finale.
 
“The goal tomorrow is to come out and be ready to play....play with energy and effort and salvage one game out of the weekend,” head coach Tom Riginos said.
 
The Quakers jumped on Winthrop freshman startier Joey Strain (0-2) right out of the gate as they were able to manufacture a run in the first on a sacrifice fly to left field by Grego scoring Brandon Engelhardt from third giving Penn an early 1-0 advantage.
 
Penn had Strain's number in the third as the Quakers batted around scoring five runs on five hits in the inning.  The inning was highlighted by RBI hits from Branigan, Ryan Mincher, Engelhardt, and Greco.
 
The Quakers added to their lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Engelhardt scoring Conner Betbeze who had walked earlier in the inning increasing Winthrop's deficit to 7-0.  Gautieri continued to keep Winthrop hitters off balance as he went on to close out the game for the Quakers.
 
Winthrop's bullpen continues to be one of the biggest positives thus far as Steven Howell and Mitchell Knox were able to quiet down the Quaker bats in 6.2 innings of relief.  Knox closed out the game for the Eagles pitching four innings of scoreless baseball and striking out three.
 
Clay Altman put together a solid day at the plate for the Eagles, going three for four with three singles while Cody Dolan extends his on base streak to 13 games with a single in the first inning.
 
Right-hander Tyler Klitsch (0-2) is expected to get the ball for Winthrop in the 1:00 p.m. game Sunday.  The ticket window at The Winthrop Ballpark will be opens an hour before game time.