LYNCHBURG, Va. – The 2018 season came to an end for Winthrop baseball (25-31, 15-12 Big South Conference) in its third game of the Big South Tournament Thursday evening. Gardner-Webb (31-26, 14-13 Big South Conference) scored a go-ahead home run in the top of the 9
th and earned the 5-4 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Starter
Daniel Willcutt came out strong in the 1
st, posting three outs on just four pitches.
-The Eagles kept the momentum going in the bottom half of the inning with a four-spot.
Scout McFalls and
Jake Sullivan were both walked to start the inning, then
Tyler Halstead belted a bases-clearing double for a 2-0 lead.
Dillon Morton was walked, which would send the Runnin' Bulldogs to the bullpen for Tyler Johnson. Johnson would issue a walk to
Cale Gibson to load the bases for
Hunter Lipscomb, who dropped a base hit into center for two RBI and a 4-0 lead.
-Ben LaSpaluto got GWU on the board in the 2
nd with a single RBI.
-GWU added another in the 4
th as Chris Clary made it to 1
st on a bunt, scoring Chandler Redmond.
-GWU's Luke Kaesmeyer tied up the ballgame in the top of the 6
th with a triple deep to right center with two runners on, scoring both for the 4-4 tie.
-The Eagles went down in order in the 4
th, 5
th, 6
th and 8
th innings.
-McFalls hit a two-out single in the 7
th and stole second.
-In the top of the 9
th, LaSpaluto belted a solo homer down the left field line for a 5-4 lead.
-The Eagles would go down in order in the 9
th with a ground out, pop up and a final ground out.
NOTABLES
-After posting 13 hits in each of its first two games of the Big South Tournament, Winthrop recorded six in tonight's loss. Winthrop is 11-24 on the season when failing to notch double-digit hits.
-
Hunter Lipscomb went 7-for-12 during the Big South Tournament with four RBI. Tonight's game marked his 12
th multiple-hit game of the season, fourth-best on the squad, and eighth multiple-RBI game of the season, tied for second on the team.
-GWU reliever Tyler Johnson went 8.2 innings, allowing no Winthrop runs and just five hits.