Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC --  Matt Pierpont's eight strong innings on the mound were backed up by Chad Smith and company at the plate as the Winthrop baseball team opened up its final home series of the season with a 8-3 victory over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers Friday night at The Winthrop Ballpark.
 
After surrendering three runs early in the game, senior captain Matt Pierpont (4-4) settled in and held the Buccaneers scoreless for sixth straight innings.  Pierpont battled his way through eight innings on the mound giving up three runs on eight hits and striking out six.  Down 3-0 in the fourth inning, the Winthrop bats came alive and went on to score eight unanswered runs.  Winthrop tied the game in the fifth on and RBI from Chad Smith scoring Jace Whitley from third.  Smith had a big day at the plate going 4 for 5 with a run scored.  Smith collected his second RBI of the game with two-outs in the seventh to give the Eagles the lead.  The Eagles continued the two-out rally in the seventh with Austen Barber's two run single to left field scoring Steven Wallace and Smith.  With an 8-3 in the ninth, senior closer Eric Ruth retired the side to lock up the win for the Eagles.
 
Friday night's win snaps a five game skid for Winthrop and improves its record to 16-30 on the season including 4-12 in the Big South.  Charleston Southern drops to 17-26 and 7-9 in Big South play.  The teams will hit the field on Saturday for a Big South doubleheader starting at 4:00 p.m.  Sunday's game originally slated for 1:00 p.m. has been moved to Saturday to avoid showers that are due to come through the Rock Hill area.  Game Two of the doubleheader will kick off approximately 45 minutes after the completion of Game One.  Senior Day ceremonies will take place prior to the start of Game Two.
 
Charleston Southern swung a hot bat right out of the gate.  The second batter of the game, centerfielder Bobby Ison launched his third home run of the season over the right field fence off Pierpont to give the Bucs an early 1-0 lead.  CSU stayed hot in the second inning scoring two runs on four hits with RBI's coming from Jaren Sustar and Kevin Hickey to extend the early lead to 3-0.
 
After three strong innings from CSU starter Ryan Gunther, the Eagles were able to reach the right-hander in the fourth when a couple of singles and a walk loaded the bases for Max Vogel who lifted a fly ball to left field allowing Cody Dolan to tag at third and score cutting the lead to 3-1.  Winthrop kept things rolling in the fifth as Kyle Edwards led the inning off with a double to the right center gap and was moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt from Leighton Daniels.  Whitley came through with a big one-out single up the scoring Edwards from third.  The next two batters walked loading the bases for Smith.  Smith hit a fielder's choice to the shortstop and hustled to beat out the double play allowing Whitley to score from third and tie the game at 3-3.
 
Winthrop broke the game open in the seventh with a three-run, two-out rally.  With Whitley on third, Smith singled up the middle to give the Eagles their first lead of the game.  After a hit-by-pitch and a walk, the bases were loaded for Barber.  Barber greeted CSU reliever Austin Weekley with a single to right field scoring Wallace and Smith putting the Eagles up 6-3.
 
The Eagles added some insurance in the eighth when Daniels came around to score on a dropped fly ball by the center fielder.  Clay Altman brought Dolan around to score on a single to center field to put the Eagles on top 8-3
 
After eight strong innings from Pierpont, Ruth was called upon in the ninth to hammer down the 8-3 victory for the Eagles.
 
“I'm really proud of the way the guys competed,” stated Winthrop head coach Tom Riginos after Friday's win.  “We got a lot of key hits.  Chad Smith had two big RBI's for us and Austen Barber had the big two-out, two-run hit in the seventh.  Matt (Pierpont) gave up a few runs early but he really settled down and that's when we saw a lot of zeros.”
 
There were multiple players that had significant contributions at the plate for the Eagles Friday night.  Smith collected his first career four-hit game on Friday night while driving in a pair of runs.  Dolan's single get things started in the fourth extended his reached base streak to ten games.  Whitley and Edwards each added a pair of hits as well in the 11 hit performance by the Eagles.
 
Saturday's doubleheader can be followed on the Winthrop Sports Network via www.winthropeagles.com.