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COLUMBIA, SC- The Winthrop baseball team used a four- run 11th inning to defeat #6 South Carolina 7-5 on Tuesday night at Carolina Stadium, marking the first Eagle win over the Gamecocks in 19 years.

The Eagles improve to 14-5 overall while the loss snaps a 10-game winning streak for the Gamecocks,who drop to 17-4. This marks the first time in program history the Eagles have beaten both South Carolina and Clemson in the same year.

Head coach Tom Riginos is extremely proud of his team's accomplishment. "We came out and did what we had to do in the beginning," he said. "Our pitchers did an outstanding job and we got big hits when we needed them."

Joey Strain earned his second win of the year while giving up two runs on four hits in 1.2 innings. Winthrop's starter Josh Strong allowed three runs, all unearned, on four hits in his 5.1 innings before reliever Travis Shelley held the Gamecocks to three hits in four innings. South Carolina threw nine pitchers with Cody Mincey taking the loss after surrendering four runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning.
Brad Kaczka led off the decisive eleventh inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mitch Spires. Kyle Edwards then walked before Tyler Asbill singled to load the bases. Babe Thomas hit a single through the left side to score Kaczka and Edwards and advanced Asbill to third. Mark Lowrie singled to reload the bases and Asbill and Thomas scored on a single up the middle by Roger Gonzalez.

The Gamecocks got two runs back in the bottom of the eleventh, but the Eagles were able to hold on for the first win against South Carolina since 1996.
The Eagles jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. With two outs, Anthony Paulsen and Lowrie walked before Paulsen was brought home on an RBI double by Gonzalez.

After holding the Gamecocks to just two hits in three and half innings, South Carolina tied it up in the bottom of the fourth inning. Elliot Caldwell singled and advanced to second on a ground out by Alex Destino. Caldwell stole third and crossed the plate on a throwing error by Gonzalez.

Winthrop fought back to score a run in both the fifth and sixth innings. Chad Smith led off the fifth inning by reaching on a throwing error by the shortstop that advanced him to second. Edwards advanced Smith to third on a sacrifice bunt and Smith scored on a single by Thomas. Paulsen then walked but Thomas was thrown at home trying to score from second on a single by Lowrie.

The Eagles pushed the lead to two in the sixth inning on a bases loaded suicide squeeze by Kaczka that scored Gonzalez.

Errors proved to be costly for Winthrop in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jordan Gore led off the inning reaching on a fielding error by Edwards. Kyle Martin then reached on fielder's choice but Gore was safe at second and advanced to third on an error by Smith. Gore scored on a single by Caldwell and Martin tied the game up on a sacrifice fly by Connor Bright.

The Eagles head to Charleston on Wednesday to take on Southern Conference foe The Citadel at 5:00 p.m.