ROCK HILL, SC— In the first meeting ever between Winthrop and Kennesaw State, Eagles southpaw Sam Kmiec pitched a complete game shutout and Roger Gonzalez led a nine-hit attack with two doubles and a single to lead the Eagles to a 2-0 win over the Owls in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader at The Winthrop Ballpark before falling 4-0 in the nightcap..

Game 1 Summary
Kmiec allowed only four hits and struck out seven to up his record to 3-1.  It was his first complete game of the season and sixth of his career.  With the split, the Eagles are now 12-5 this season while Kennesaw State stands at .9-7. The two teams will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

"I thought Sam was outstanding today," said Eagles' head coach Tom Riginos. "Overall, it was a great team win but Sam set the tone."

 He and Kennesaw State righthander Jordan Hillyer locked up in a pitching duel, but Winthrop was able to plate two runs against Hillyer who pitched eight innings while allowing all nine hits and striking out a career-high nine hitters.  His record drops to 1-2.  

Joining Gonzalez with multiple hit days for the Eagles were Babe Thomas with a couple of singles and Anthony Paulsen with a double and single. 

Kmiec did not allow a runner to reach scoring position until the seventh as leadoff man Chris Erwin singled and stole second, but Kmiec pitched out of minor jam by striking out the side.

After getting runners into scoring position in each of the first four innings, the Eagles finally got to Hillyer for a run in the sixth inning after a leadoff single by Mark Lowrie and a double down the left field line by Gonzalez that moved Lowrie to third.

John Menken drove home Lowrie with a double to right, but Gonzalez was held at third.  He was tagged out by the catcher on a bouncer back to the pitcher by Brad Kaczka.  Menken and Kaczka then pulled off a double steal of third and second, but were left stranded.

Winthrop added an insurance run in the eighth inning after Lowrie walked to lead off the inning.  Jake Sullivan came in to pinch run and advanced to second on a single by Gonzalez.  Both runners were moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by John Menken.  Sullivan then scored on a RBI sacrifice fly to center by Kaczka.

In the first frame, Winthrop posed a two-out threat after Paulsen lined a one-hop double off the left field wall and Lowrie drew a walk, but Hillyer got Gonzalez swinging to end the inning.

In the second, Menken was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on a ground ball out, but Hillyer got the next two outs on a fly  ball and called third strike on Kyle Edwards.

Paulsen collected his second hit with a two-out single to right in the third and stole second, but was left stranded when Lowrie grounded out to third.

Gonzalez opened the fourth with a double off the right centerfield wall, but the Eagles could only advance him to third as Hillyer got Edwards swinging to end the inning.
 
Game 2 Summary

The Eagles could manage just four hits in the second game against Kennesaw State starter Travis Bergen who pitched a complete game and improved to 3-2 on the year. Winthrop's Zach Sightler took his first loss of the season, surrendering all four runs on eight hits. Josh Strong came in as relief in the fifth inning and closed out the game allowing just three hits.

The owls took a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Chris McGowan was brought home from second off a double by Jeremy Howell.

Kennesaw State's advantage was pushed to four in the top of the fifth inning on a three run home run by Chris Erwin.

Winthrop's best opportunity to rally came in the bottom of the seventh inning. Roger Gonzalez and John Menken hit back to back singles with one out, but Brad Kaczka grounded into a double play to retire the side and keep the score 4-0.

Freshman Mitch Spires went 2-3 at the plate, hitting two singles.

"You have to credit Bergen with an outstanding pitching performance today," says Riginos. "He wasn't giving us good looks all day, and that's what a good pitcher does. He adds, "But, the great thing about baseball is we get to come back out here tomorrow and play again."