SPARTANBURG, SC - Winthrop rallied to even the series with USC Upstate on Friday night, scoring four runs on the top of the eighth inning to make it six unanswered runs and take a 6-4 lead. The Eagles went on to win the game 6-5, improving to 30-21 overall on the season and 17-9 in Big South play, keeping pressure on Radford and Campbell atop the conference standings. The Eagles have won 30 games in a season for the second time in three years (34-24 in 2017). 

HOW IT HAPPENED

- Nate Pawelczyk got the start on the mound for the Eagles and battled through a rocky opening to settle into a solid outing. The Senior right-hander allowed a run in the first inning but induced an inning-ending fielder's choice to end the threat without any further damage. USC Upstate plated three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-0 lead, but Pawelczyk posted three straight scoreless inning to close his night. Pawelczyk allowed four earned runs in his six innings on eight hits, striking out five and walking two. 

- Dalton Whitaker trotted out of the bullpen in the bottom of the seventh and tossed a clean seventh inning but ran into trouble in the eighth. With the Eagles owners of a 6-4 lead, Whitaker issued back to back free passes to open the inning, which ended Whitaker's night and summoned Colten Rendon for a six-out save. The Junior righty escaped the eighth allowing one inherited runner to cross but kept the Eagles in the lead at 6-5. Rendon then came back out for the ninth and closed the deal in dominant fashion, striking out the side in order to give the Eagles their 30th win. 

- Trailing 4-0 after three innings, the Eagles got two runs back in the top of the fourth. Hunter Lipscomb walked to open the inning and Grant English followed him with a double over the center fielder's head to set the Eagles up with runners on second and third. Matthew Mulkey grounded out to short following English, bringing home Lipsocmb to get the Eagles on the board. The next batter up was Jake Sullivan, who doubled to center field- also over the head of the center fielder, to score English and make it a 4-2 ballgame. 

- In the top of the eighth, the Eagles rallied for four runs to take a 6-4 lead. Spencer Yankle led off the inning by reaching on an error by the Upstate shortstop. Two batters later, Grant English lined a single to right to move Yankle to second base with one out. Matthew Mulkey then came through with another RBI knock, a double over the head of the right fielder to score Yankle and move English to third base to bring the Eagles within one. Grant English then scampered home on a passed ball to tie the game at four. Jake Sullivan then delivered the go-ahead hit, blooping a single to shallow center field to score Mulkey and give the Eagles a 5-4 lead. Two batters later, Tyler Baker provided a big insurance knock, singling to right field to score Jake Sullivan to give the Eagles a 6-4 lead that would be tested but not relinquished. 

NOTABLES

- Grant English and Jake Sullivan provided four of the Eagles' eight hits on Friday night. English went 2-4 with two runs scored, and Sullivan also went 2-4, driving in two runs and scoring one of his own. 

- Colten Rendon's six-out save gives him eight saves on the season, and is now tied with Kole Harris of UNC Asheville for the most in the Big South Conference. 

UP NEXT: Winthrop hands the ball to Thad Harris in the series finale as the Eagles look to win their sixth straight Big South series. First pitch from Harley Park is set for 1 p.m.

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