ROCK HILL, SC -
Thad Harris tossed six innings of one-run ball Friday afternoon, striking out eight to lead a stout Winthrop pitching core as the Eagles defeated Maine 3-1 at the Winthrop Ballpark to open the 2020 season on a winning note. Harris was the winning pitcher (1-0) for the Eagles (1-0) as Maine is now 0-1 with the opening night loss.
The redshirt senior turned in a quality outing for Winthrop in his season debut, striking out eight and walking only one in an 86 pitch effort. The left-hander held Maine without a hit for the first four innings, until a solo home run got the Black Bears on the board in what was then a 2-1 ballgame.
Following Harris, freshman
Willie Lumpkin came out of the bullpen and impressed in his collegiate debut, tossing two scoreless frames and escaping two separate two-on, two-out jams. Lumpkin struck out two batters and did not walk a man in his two innings of work.
In the ninth inning it was closer
Colten Rendon's turn, and the senior did not disappoint. The right-hander sat the Black Bears down in order, striking out one and inducing two groundouts en route to his first save of the season.
Offensively, the Eagles broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Scout McFalls doubled to right center field to lead off the inning, and stole third base to set up designated hitter
Ethan Fewell with one out. Fewell hit a ground ball to a drawn in third baseman, in which McFalls won the race to home plate with great speed and a better slide into home. Later in the inning, with Winthrop leading 1-0, Fewell came around to score on a double play try that was thrown away by Maine's second baseman to make it a 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, with Winthrop leading 2-1,
Joe McNamara walked and
Andrew Jenner singled to set up runners on first and second with one out.
Scout McFalls then knocked his second double of the game, another drive to right center, to score McNamara on the play to make it a 3-1 advantage that would hold for the remainder of the ballgame.
UP NEXT: Daniel Blair will take the ball in his Winthrop debut Saturday as the Eagles and Black Bears sqaure off for game two of the series at the Winthrop Ballpark. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
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