ROCK HILL, SC - In what was a tight ballgame for seven innings, Saturday's meeting between Winthrop and Kent State was ultimately decided in the top of the eighth inning when the Golden Flashes plated eight runs to turn a 5-4 game into a 13-4 result. Saturday's final score ended up a 13-6 victory for Kent State, dropping Winthrop to 8-2 on the season in the second straight defeat for the Eagles.
After Kent State plated three runs in the top of the second inning to take an early 3-0 lead, Winthrop plated a run in the bottom half to make it a 3-1 game when
Andrew Jenner drove in
Cale Gibson from third base on an RBI groundout. The Eagles brought another run across in the bottom of the third inning when
Dillon Morton doubled to right field with runners on first and second with two outs, scoring
CJ Conrad to make it a 3-2 game.
Kent State responded in the top of the fifth inning by scoring two runs to make it 5-2 Golden Flashes, but the Eagles came right back with two of their own in the bottom half to cut the deficit to one. With two outs and nobody on base,
Spencer Yankle singled to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Luke Hannum, who entered the game for
Cale Gibson, reached on an infield single which set the Eagles up with runners on first and third.
Dillon Morton then grounded a ball to third base which was mishandled, allowing Yankle to score on the error. After the runners moved up a base on a balk and
Matt Levenson walked,
Andrew Jenner then walked with the bases loaded to score
Luke Hannum and make it a 5-4 game. After a pitching change,
Tyler Baker grounded out to end the inning, which left the bases loaded for the Eagles. Winthrop left 13 runners on base in Saturday's contest.
The top of the eighth inning was the difference in Saturday's game, as Kent State scored eight times on six hits to break the game open at a 13-4 score. The Golden Flashes were also aided by two Winthrop errors in the frame. The Eagles used four pitchers in the inning (
Willie Lumpkin,
Aaron White,
Dalton Mims, and
Bryan Petta).
Winthrop plated two runs late to make it 13-6, coming on a
Spencer Yankle RBI single that scored
Drake Smith and an RBI groundout by
Luke Hannum.
Daniel Blair started the game on the mound for Winthrop and went four innings plus, allowing five runs (all earned) on eight hits, striking out three and walking one.
Willie Lumpkin came on in relief of Blair and tossed 3.1 innings out of the bullpen, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits, striking out two without walking a batter.
Aaron White and
Dalton Mims faced a combined five hitters in the top of the eighth inning and did not record an out, before
Bryan Petta came on to toss the final five outs for Winthrop. Petta did not allow a hit, striking out one and walking one.
UP NEXT: The Eagles turn to
Tyler Jones Sunday as Winthrop looks to avoid the sweep. First pitch from the Winthrop Ballpark is set for 1 p.m.
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