ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Eagles swept Saturday's doubleheader against the Upstate Spartans. Winthrop won Game 1, 5-2, before taking Game 2, 2-1. The Eagles improve to 8-7 overall, with a 5-2 mark against Big South opponents.
 
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
GAME 1
Ty Hooks (2-for-3, 2 RBI)
Joseph Szvetitz (2-for-3, 1 RBI)
Joey Tepper (2-for-4, 1 RBI)
Daniel Blair (7.1 IP, 6 Ks, 1 ER)
 
GAME 2
Spencer Yankle (3-for-4, 3 2B)
Joseph Szvetitz (2-for-4)
Luke Hannum (1-for-3, 1 RBI)
Will Martin (1 RBI)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

GAME 1

• Despite giving up a two-out double to Noah Rabon, Daniel Blair got out of the first inning unscathed.
• Luke Hannum led off for the Eagles and was hit by a pitch, giving Winthrop its first base runner of the afternoon.
• Joey Tepper singled up the right side to move Hannum over to second.
• After getting Dillon Morton and Spencer Yankle out, Andrew Jenner reached first on an error, sending Tepper to third, bringing Hannum home for the first run of the game. Jenner would advance to second on a wild pitch.
• Ty Hooks would cap off the inning with a two-out, two-RBI single to right, bringing home Tepper and Jenner, giving Winthrop a 3-0 lead after one.
• Cameron Macintosh led off the top of the 2^nd with a single. Blair hit Jeff Taylor in the next at-bat giving USC Upstate two quick base runners.
• Macintosh would come home when Damon Maynard grounded out to first base, advancing all the runners.
• Jack Hennesey would pop out to end the top half of the 2^nd inning, with Winthrop still leading 3-1.
• After walking Hannum, Alex Garbrick got Joey Tepper to ground into a double-play, ending the inning.
• Both pitchers only faced three batters each in the 3^rd inning.
• Ty Hooks singled to the right side to lead off the bottom of the 4^th inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
• After back-to-back outs for Garbrick, Joseph Szvetitz singled to center, Hooks came home to tack on another run for the home team, 4-1.
• Blair settled in nicely, throwing another spotless inning.
• Garbrick's day was done after 3.2 IP. Payne came in and pitched a 1,2,3 bottom of the 5^th.
• The top of the 6^th inning was shaky for the Eagles, who allowed Devin Buckner to reach first on an error, followed by a double down the line off the bat of Rabon, with Buckner advancing to third.
• With two runners in scoring position, Blair struck out Drew Camp for the first out of the inning.
• Macintosh reached on a fielder's choice and Buckner was forced out at home.
• Blair got out of the inning without any damage done after getting Taylor to ground out with a 0-1 count.
• Joseph Szvetitz led off the Eagles' half of the 7^th inning with a shot down the left field line. He would come home on a Joey Tepper double to make it a 5-2 game.
• Blair's day was done after giving up a one-out single to center in the top of the 8^th inning.
• Dalton Mims came in in relief and got out of the inning.
• Upstate was able to string together a solid 9^th inning and even got a run across on a fielder's choice but the comeback attempt was too late and Winthrop won Game 1, 5-2.

 GAME 2

• The first inning was uneventful for both teams before a lightening delay paused play for an hour and 11 minutes.
• Once play resumed, Yankle led off with a double down the left field line. The catcher would steal third before getting thrown out on a fielder's choice that put Ty Hooks on first.
• Hooks would get stranded to keep the game scoreless heading into the 3^rd inning.
• After giving up a lead-off single to Hennessy, Coker got Matthews to ground into a double-play before Buckner fouled out to Jenner.
• Szvetitz put together a one-out single to right on an 0-2 count and advanced to 2^nd base on an error by Taylor.
• With Szvetitz in scoring position, Hannum hit a shot up the left side, bringing the run in, giving Winthrop a 1-0 lead.
• After loading the bases with one out, Andrew Coker's day was done after 4.1 innings pitched. Willie Lumpkin came in in relief and struck out the first batter he faced, Jason Matthews, and got Buckner to fly out to get out of a bases-loaded jam, holding Upstate scoreless.
• Winthrop had an opportunity to tack on an insurance run but a few base running blunders put a stop to that in the 5^th inning.
• Will Martin was picked off at 2^nd after reaching on an error to left field and following a single to right with one out, Szvetitz was caught stealing at third.
• The Eagles were up 1-0 through five innings.
• Willie Lumpkin gave up a lead-off double to Rabon on the first pitch of the inning.
• After getting McIntosh to ground out, Reese Lumpkin came in and gave up a single to Taylor, that tied the game up at one.
• In the top of the 8^th with one out and a runner on 2^nd, Colten Rendon took over on the mound and struck out Taylor on three pitches. Maynard flew out to right center in the next at-bat, keeping things all tied up.
• Andrew Jenner walked to lead off Winthrop's half of the 8^th inning.
• Spencer Yankle doubled to left field, putting Jenner in scoring position with no outs.
• Ethan Fewell walked on a full count, to load the bases with one out.
• With two outs, Will Martin drew the bases-loaded walk, putting Winthrop ahead 2-1 late in the game.
• Colten Rendon sat the Spartans down in order in the top of the 9^th to win the game, 2-1.

ON DECK
The Eagles will travel to Buies Creek for a series with the Campbell Camels April 1-2. Thursday is a single game, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., while Friday is a double-header with the first game slated for 2 p.m.