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ROCK HILL, SC- The Winthrop baseball team will kick off its 2014 Big South season this weekend on the road against Gardner-Webb beginning with a single game today beginning at 6:00 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 2:00 p.m. The series was originally scheduled for three single games, but the forecast for rain on Sunday is the reason for the revised schedule.

The two teams have met 43 times, with the Eagles leading the all-time series 34-9 despite Gardner-Webb taking last year's three game series, 2-1.

Winthrop (6-10) will look to start conference play on a winning note, despite losing the last seven games. Senior TJ Olesczuk leads the Big South in hitting with a .471 average and leads the Eagles in hits (24) and RBI (10), ncluding an RBI double in the Eagle's most recent game against Wofford. Chad Smith, who had four hits and two runs in Winthrop's 4-2 victory over the Bulldogs last year, has 10 hits and three runs so far this year.

Gardner- Webb (6-10) is looking to rebound from its 7-1 loss to #13 North Carolina on Wednesday. The Bulldogs offense is led by Jacob Walker, Scott Johnson and Scott Coleman, who are all hitting above .300, and have a combined 52 hits and 24 RBIs.

This is head coach Rusty Stroupe's 12th season in Boiling Springs, where he has a record 323-315-2.

Probable Starters:
Friday: LHP Sam Kmiec vs. RHP Matt Fraudin
Saturday: RHP Joey Strain vs. RHP Andrew Barnett
Sunday: LHP Josh Strong vs. LHP Erik Heiligenstadt