ROCK HILL, SC- The Winthrop baseball team is set to kick off its 2015 season this weekend in a four game series against Kent State. Game times are scheduled for Friday at 6:00 p.m., Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. This will be the 32^nd meeting between the two teams with the Golden Flashes leading the series 12-19.

The Eagles are looking to build upon a season that finished with a Big South Southern Division Championship and as the runner-up in the Big South Tournament. The Eagles return twenty players, including five starters. Winthrop looks to continue a tradition of impressive pitching, with 17 pitchers on its roster. Sam Kmiec, Zach Sightler, Matt Crohan and Josh Strong have been named as the expected pitching rotation for this weekend. Babe Thomas, John Menken and Brad Kaczka are the Eagles top hitters returning from last year, combining for 142 hits, 63 runs batted in while averaging .240.

Kent State enters this year ranked #30 in the country in the Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll. The Golden Flashes finished 2014 with a 36-23 record, winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament and making an appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Golden Flashes are expected to start pitchers Nick Jensen-Clagg on Friday and Andy Ravel on Saturday with game two on Saturday and Sunday's starters to be determined.

Kent State head coach Jeff Duncan is in his second year the helm while Winthrop's Tom Riginos enters his fifth year with the Eagles with an overall record of 92-131.