FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Winthrop baseball jumped out to an early lead over Campbell in Saturday's Big South Championship Game, leading 4-1 in the middle of the fifth inning. However it was Campbell who converted in the late innings, as the Camels outscored the Eagles 7-2 in the second half of the ballgame to beat the Eagles 8-6 and win the 2019 Big South Conference Tournament Championship, earning the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA Regional round. With the loss, the Eagles finish the 2019 season 34-23, with a Big South mark of 21-11 combined between the regular season and Big South Championship. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

- Jason Crumley got the start on the mound for the Eagles and gave Winthrop four impressive innings to open the ballgame. The Junior left-hander tossed three straight scoreless innings to open the ballgame, allowing a solo home run of the fourth for the only blemish of his outing. Crumley allowed one run on four hits, striking out two Camels without walking a batter, earning a no decision on Saturday. 

- In the fifth inning, the Eagles turned to Senior RHP Nate Pawelczyk, who came out of the bullpen just two days removed from throwing 114 pitches against Prebyterian on Thursday morning. Pawelczyk's fatigue was evident in Saturday's outing, as the right-hander was tagged for four earned runs on five hits, striking out two batters without walking any.

- With one out in the seventh inning, The Eagles called upon Colten Rendon to protect a 5-4 Winthrop lead as the Junior right-hander made his second appearance in as many days, and fatigue seemed to be a factor hindering Rendon as well. Rendon saw the first pitch he threw get sent over the left-center field wall for a two run home run to give Campbell a 6-5 lead and a lead the Camels would not give up. Rendon lasted 1.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits while throwing 22 pitches, and was Winthrop's losing pitcher in the Championship Game. Bryan Petta finally came on with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning and got the final two outs, throwing 10 pitches. 

- Offensively, the Eagles consistently got runners on base in Saturday's ballgame but were unable to deliver the knockout punch against the Camels. Winthrop left ten runners on base in Saturday's Championship Game, including the bases loaded in the ninth inning to close the ballgame. 

- Winthrop got on the board in the top of the first inning when Hunter Lipscomb hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Scout McFalls from third and give the Eagles a 1-0 lead right out of the gate.

- The two sides traded zeros on the scoreboard until the top of the fourth inning when the Eagles tacked on a run to make it 2-0 in favor of Winthrop. With the bases loaded and one out, Jake Sullivan hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Hunter Lipscomb from third base. 

- Two more runs in the top of the fifth inning gave the Eagles a 4-1 lead. Tyler Baker reached on a throwing error to lead off the inning, winding up at second base as the ball was thrown out of play by the Campbell shortstop. Scout McFalls then laid a perfect bunt down the third base line which was thrown away by the Campbell third baseman, allowing Baker to score on the play and make it 3-1 Winthrop. Later in the inning, Matthew Mulkey drew a walk with the bases loaded to force in a run and give the Eagles a three run lead. 

- After Campbell scored three runs off Nate Pawelczyk in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Eagles answered back with a run in the top of the sixth to retake the lead at 5-4. Brandon Fite walked to lead off the inning and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Scout McFalls then came to the plate with one out and knocked a line drive RBI single into center field, scoring Brandon Fite in a close play at the plate that was upheld by replay review. 

- The Camels would go on to score the game's next four runs to take an 8-5 lead into the top of the ninth inning, where the Eagles made noise by sending seven batters to the plate. With the Eagles down to their final strike with two outs, Matthew Mulkey lined an RBI single to right field to bring pinch runner CJ Conrad to the plate to bring the Eagles within two at 8-6 against Campbell's closer, but Jake Sullivan's flyout to left field ended the ballgame as well as the Eagles' season. 

The Eagles finish the season with 34 wins, giving the Eagles 34 wins in a season for the second time in three seasons. 

NOTABLES: Three Eagles were named to the 2019 Big South All-Tournament Team in RHP Zach Peek, 1B Grant English, and OF Matthew Mulkey.