ROCK HILL, S.C. - After trailing 3-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning Tuesday night, Winthrop plated nine unanswered runs to secure a 9-3 win over Davidson at the Winthrop Ballpark. Three pitchers carried the load for the Eagles, who improved to 18-14 with the win (8-4 in Big South play). Davidson lost its sixth straight game to fall to 14-13 on the season (4-2 Atlantic 10).
HOW IT HAPPENED
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Braxton Foley got the start for the Eagles and worked into the fourth inning, tossing 3.1 innings in his third start of the season. The freshman allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, striking out four and walking two.
Jason Crumley took over with one out in the fourth inning and had his best relief outing of the season, logging 3.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing only one hit and striking out two without walking a man. In the top of the eighth, the Eagles turned to
Colten Rendon, who got the final six outs without allowing a hit, striking out one and walking one. Crumley was the winning pitcher for Winthrop, earning his first victory of the year (1-2).
- Winthrop got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning when the Eagles perfectly executed their first-and-third baserunning offense. With runners on the corners and two outs,
Jake Sullivan broke to steal second, drawing a Davidson throw to the bag which allowed
Grant English to break for the plate and score from third base. The steal of home cut the Davidson lead to 3-1.
- Three Eagle runs scored in the bottom of the fifth inning, two of them coming on a
Hunter Lipscomb two-run homer to right field, Lipscomb's fourth of the season, also scoring
Spencer Yankle on the play. The Eagles then got their third and fourth consecutive baserunners on with two outs when
Matthew Mulkey hit an RBI infield single to short, diving into first base to beat the throw. The throw was mishandled by the Davidson third baseman, allowing
Grant English to score from second base on the play and give the Eagles a 4-3 lead.
- The Eagles plated three more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend their lead to 7-3.
Jake Sullivan came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out and lined a single into center field, scoring
Spencer Yankle from third and
Hunter Lipscomb from second.
Brandon Fite was the next man up and perfectly executed a safety squeeze bunt, scoring
Grant English from third base.
- Winthrop got two more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. With
Scout McFalls on third base,
Spencer Yankle hit a fly ball to deep center field that was dropped by the Davidson center fielder, allowing McFalls to come in and score. Yankle would score from second base two batters later, when
Grant English lined an RBI single to right field to bring across the Eagles' ninth run.
NOTABLES
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Grant English went 3-4 at the plate Tuesday with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored.
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Hunter Lipscomb (2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R),
Jake Sullivan (2-4, 2 RBI) and
Brandon Fite (2-4, RBI) also recorded multi-hit games for the Eagles.
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Jason Crumley's 3.2 innings on Tuesday were the southpaw's longest relief outing of the season, in addition to being his the fourth shoutout appearance out of his last five outings.
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Colten Rendon tossed his second straight hitless outing and third straight scoreless outing with his 2.0 hitless and scoreless innings on Tuesday. Rendon has not allowed an earned run since March 31 at Radford.
UP NEXT: The Eagles will travel to Asheville, NC for a three-game weekend set against UNC Asheville this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
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