ROCK HILL, SC - After visiting Maine led Winthrop 3-0 in the middle of the fifth inning, the Eagles would go on to score nine runs in three of the next four innings to secure their second straight victory to open the 2020 season. The rally was capped off by a five-run eighth for Winthrop, an inning which seven consecutive Eagles reached base. Winthrop is now 2-0 on the season with the Saturday victory, and Maine falls to 0-2 with the loss. 

With Maine leading 3-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, Cale Gibson singled to right field to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Ty Hooks singled to set up runners on first and second. Two batters later came Andrew Jenner, whose at bat was interrupted by a wild pitch, allowing Cale Gibson to score from third base for Winthrop's first run of the day. Jenner would walk, setting up a Scout McFalls grounder to the right side in which the throw from the first baseman to the pitcher was mishandled, allowing Hooks to score from second on the error and bring Winthrop back to within one at 3-2. 

In the bottom of the seventh, with the game still 3-2 in favor of Maine, Winthrop threatened with the bases loaded and two outs with Cale Gibson stepping to the plate. Gibson delivered to give the Eagles the lead, ripping a two-run single into right field to score Scout McFalls and CJ Conrad to put the Eagles in front 4-3. 

The bottom of the eighth inning was when the Eagles broke the game open. A flyout to center field started the inning, however the next seven Eagles reached base which resulted in a 9-3 Winthrop lead. The scoring began when Scout McFalls doubled to right center field to score leadoff man Joe McNamara and advance Andrew Jenner to third base. Spencer Yankle was intentionally walked for the second time in the game following McFalls, setting up CJ Conrad with the bases loaded. Conrad, who entered as a defensive replacement in left field, delivered the biggest hit of the game for Winthrop in a bases-clearing triple to extend the lead to 8-3. Finally, an RBI single to left by Dillon Morton scored Conrad from third to give Winthrop their ninth run of the ballgame. 

While the late offense grabbed the attention Saturday, Eagle pitching delivered once again in game two of the series. Daniel Blair started the game on the mound for Winthrop, turning in four innings of one-run ball, striking out four and walking two on 70 pitches. Blair was solid throughout his outing, allowing only one hit. 

Jason Crumley took over on the mound for Winthrop in the fifth inning, where the senior left-hander allowed five hits but limited the damage to two runs in the frame. The southpaw then turned in shutout innings in the sixth and seventh to keep Winthrop close. Crumley was Saturday's winning pitcher for the Eagles, improving to 1-0 on the season.

Finally, it was Tyler Jones who came on for the final two innings - and the sophomore impressed. The right-hander struck out the side in order in the eighth inning, then recorded another punchout in the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season (Jones faced the potential tying run in the top of the eighth). 

UP NEXT: Winthrop goes for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon as freshman Garrett Gainey will take the ball for the Eagles. First pitch from the Winthrop Ballpark is slated for 1 p.m.

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