ROCK HILL, S.C. – Coming off winning two of three games at Longwood in the regular-season finale this past weekend, Winthrop enters this week's Big South Baseball Championship in High Point, North Carolina seeded third. The Eagles will make their first appearance in the tournament since 2019 and will play on Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m. at Truist Point, home of the High Point Rockers vs. second-seeded USC Upstate on ESPN+. Friday's opponent is to be determined by the results of Thursday's action, but the Eagles will face either (4) Gardner-Webb, or (1) Campbell on Friday.
| Winthrop (27-26) vs. USC Upstate (36-20) | High Point, N.C. | Truist Point |
| Date |
Thursday, May 25 / GAME 1 |
| First Pitch |
5:00 p.m. ET |
| Listen/Watch Live |
Click Here | Click Here |
| Live Stats |
Click Here |
Probable Pitching Matchups
(2023 Stats) |
Reese Dutton (9-3, 3.46 ERA) vs.
Brody Hopkins (1-4, 5.33 ERA) |
For his efforts in the Longwood series, right handed pitcher
Josh Bookbinder was named Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week. In the first game with the Lancers, Bookbinder entered the contest in the sixth inning with Winthrop holding a slim 3-2 lead. He proceeded to pitch the final four innings of the ballgame, allowing only a single in the ninth and striking out four batters, earning his second save of the year. This is Bookbinder first weekly award of the season and his career and the fourth time Winthrop has been honored in 2023 (
Alex Logusch,
Nicholas Badillo,
Harrison Wilson).
Following the Longwood series, the Eagles enter the tournament at 27-26 and have won 12 of their last 16 games. The Eagles have six series wins overall at this point in the season, including wins over Presbyterian, Maine and Longwood and sweeps of LIU, The Citadel, UNC Asheville and Radford.
The two schools will meet for the 16th time with the Spartans leading the series, 8-7, taking two of three from the Eagles in Spartanburg this year but this is their first ever postseason meeting. The two schools met for the first time in 2014, with each team winning one game. 2019 saw Winthrop take two of three on the road, their only series win in Spartanburg and the Eagles last win in the series overall to date. The two teams did not play last season but prior to 2023 their last encounter was in 2021, which saw Winthrop take two of three at home. The most recent game was a 5-3 Winthrop victory in Spartanburg on Apr. 2, averting a sweep. Following this win, the teams have split the last 10 matchups.
The Spartans most recent game was taking two of three from regular-season champion Campbell this past weekend at home. Upstate also has 16 series wins so far and also defeated Clemson in Greenville. Upstate is currently 36-20 overall and have won 13 of their last 18 games. Last season, Upstate finished with an overall record of 35-22-1 and 17-6-1 in the Big South. Upstate was voted to finish second with two first-place votes and with 88 points in the Big South in the 2023 preseason coaches poll.
Winthrop enters 2023 predicted to finish ninth in the Big South Conference. The Eagles finished the 2022 season with an 18-34 (11-13 Big South) record. The Eagles also welcome back 18 players, nine of them starters and 16 newcomers, all either freshman or transfers.
Big South Tournament Notes
- First conference tournament appearance since 2019 when the Eagles advanced to the championship game (Lost 8-6 to Campbell)
- Winthrop is 58-51 all-time in the conference tournament
- The 58 wins are 32 more than any other current member of the Big South
- This is the first ever conference tournament game vs. USC Upstate
- Winthrop tied for 3rd in the league standings, which is the highest regular-season finish since finishing 3rd in 2019
- Winthrop is tied for 2nd most conference titles (4) and 3rd in championship game appearances (10)
- This Big South Conference Tournament has been held in the state of North Carolina seven times (did not qualify for the 2012 tournament in High Point)
- Winthrop has played in six of the seven tournaments held in NC and hold a record of 15-9 with two tournament titles (1985, 1987) and two runner-up finishes (2009, 2019)
- Winthrop is 1,145-911-6 all-time as a member of the Big South Conference
- The 1,145 wins trail Coastal Carolina by 12 for the most all-time in league history
- Winthrop overtook Coastal Carolina this season for the most conference wins all-time with 474 (surpassing Coastal's mark of 464)
- Tom Riginos is in his 13th season as head coach and holds an all-time record of 328-346
- His 328 victories are tied for the 4th most all-time with Liberty's Jim Toman
- Under Riginos, the Eagles are 13-13 all-time in conference tournament action
- The Eagles were 9-5 in 1-run games and 13-7 in games decided by 2 or fewer runs
EVENT SCHEDULE (subject to change)
Thursday, May 25 (Games 1-2) - ESPN+ |
DAY 1 TICKETS
Game 1 - #1 Campbell vs. #4 Gardner-Webb, 1:00pm
LIVE STATS |
WATCH LIVE
Game 2 - #2 USC Upstate vs. #3 Winthrop, 5:00pm
LIVE STATS |
WATCH LIVE
Friday, May 26 (Games 3-5) - ESPN+ |
DAY 2 TICKETS
Game 3 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 11:00am (elimination game)
LIVE STATS |
WATCH LIVE
Game 4 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 3:00pm
LIVE STATS |
WATCH LIVE
Game 5 - Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 7:00pm (elimination game)
LIVE STATS |
WATCH LIVE
Saturday, May 27 - (Championship Day) - ESPNU |
DAY 3 TICKETS
Game 6 - Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 12:00pm
LIVE STATS |
WATCH LIVE
Game 7 - If necessary, 4:00pm - ESPN+
LIVE STATS |
WATCH LIVE
