Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC -- The Winthrop baseball team threatened in the bottom of the eleventh however came up short to Coastal Carolina 3-2 in extra innings Friday night at The Winthrop Ballpark.
Coastal Carolina broke the 2-2 tie in the eleventh with a two-out RBI single to left field from Zach Remillard scoring Luke Willis from second to give the Chanticleers a one run lead going into the bottom of eleventh. The Eagles managed to load the bases, however, all base runners were left stranded as Coastal closer Ryan Connolly retired the next three Winthrop hitters in order to collect his eighth save of season and secure the 3-2 victory for the Chanticleers.
The hard-fought loss drops Winthrop to 12-23 on the season and 2-8 in the Big South while Coastal Carolina improves to 22-12 including 8-2 in the conference. The teams will go at it again on Saturday at 3 p.m. at The Winthrop Ballpark in Game Two of the Big South weekend series.
Coastal Carolina struck quickly as leadoff hitter Ted Blackman started the game with a solo shot over the right field fence off Eagles' starter
Matt Pierpont (2-4) to give the Chanticleers an early 1-0 lead. Coastal added to its lead in third when Will Remillard drove a two-out single to center field scoring Justin Creel from second who had doubled earlier in the inning.
Winthrop got on the board in the fourth as the Eagles loaded the bases with no outs in the inning for
Chad Smith. Smith grounded the first pitch he saw to the second baseman starting the 4-6-3 double play which allowed
Jace Whitley to score from third and cut the lead to 2-1.
With two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the sixth, designated hitter
Clay Altman hit a routine ground ball to first but the first baseman misplayed ball allowing Altman to reach safely and bringing
Leighton Daniels around to score from second tying the game at 2-2.
After allowing the two early runs, Pierpont settled in and blanked the Chanticleers through the next four innings. In relief of Pierpont, freshman lefty Sam Kmiec (1-5) was summoned in the eighth and continued to put zeros on the board. The teams carried the 2-2 tie into the eleventh inning.
With two outs and a runner on second in the top of the eleventh, Zach Remillard blooped a 1-2 pitch over the shortstops head for a single bringing Willis around from second to score and give the Chanticleers a 3-2 lead.
The Eagles did not make it easy for Coastal in the bottom of the eleventh as back to back base hits from Luke Maldonado and
Austen Barber put runners on first and second with no outs. In an attempt to move the runners over Kyle Edwards then laid down a bunt to the pitcher whose throw to third base was not in time to retire Maladonado which loaded the bases with still no outs in the inning. Despite the tough position he was in, Chanticleer closer Connolly was not shaken as he went on the retire the next three Eagle hitters and strand all of the base runners to lock up the 3-2 win for Coastal Carolina.
Despite just scoring two runs, nine different hitters each had a hit for the Eagles in the game. Winthrop continued to battle at the plate giving themselves an opportunity to win, however, 11 base runners were left on base. Pierpont settled in after giving up two early runs and grinded through 7.1 innings while giving up seven hits and striking out four. Despite taking the loss for the Eagles, Kmiec followed with 3.2 strong innings in relief as he fanned three while allowing four hits.
“The guys competed all eleven innings tonight,” Winthrop head coach
Tom Riginos commented after the game. “
Matt Pierpont and Sam Kmiec did an unbelievable job and we gave ourselves a chance to win. But this one hurts. There's no doubt about it.”
The Eagles will send freshman right-hander Joey Strain (3-3) to the mound in Saturday's 3 p.m. matchup while Coastal counters with right-hand pitcher Seth Lamando (3-1).
Saturday's game can be followed on the Winthrop Sports Network via
www.winthropeagles.com. The ticket window at The Winthrop Ballpark will open an hour before the start of the game.
