Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop split a doubleheader with the Radford Highlanders Sunday afternoon with an 8-6 victory in the first game and then falling 5-4 in the second game. The first game was the resumption of a suspended game due to rain in the 2nd inning Friday afternoon. Winthrop moves to 16-25-1 overall and 5-12 in the Big South.
 
KEY CONTRIBUTORS (GAME 1)

• Nicholas Badillo (1-4, R, 2 RBI)
• Harrison Wilson (1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR)
• Jaylen Hernandez (3-4, R, 4 RBI, 2 2B, HR)

W: Owen Sarna (4-3)
 
L: Scott Rouse (2-5)
 
S: Parker Kruglewicz (5)

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)

• On Friday afternoon in what was originally a doubleheader, Gavin Troutman got the visitors on the board first in the top of the second on an RBI single to left field with one out, driving in Hunter Keen.
• With Winthrop getting ready to come up to bat in their half of the inning, the game was delayed by heavy rain and eventually both games of the doubleheader were stopped 30 minutes later.
• The suspended game resumed today at 2 PM, after a nearly 48-hour delay.
• Carson Bell homered to right field with no one out in the top of the fourth to extend the visitors lead to 2-0.
• Jaylen Hernandez's three-run blast gave Winthrop the lead for the first time in the Eagle half of the fourth.
• Winthrop scored four runs in the next inning, highlighted by a two-run home run by Harrison Wilson to left field with two outs.
• Charlie Evans advanced to third on Abe Affholter's groundout in the sixth as the Eagles looked to extend their lead but could not capitalize.
• The Highlanders battled back in the top of the seventh with three runs, cutting Winthrop's lead to two, 7-5.
• But Hernandez took the lead up to three in the bottom of the inning with a double down the left field line with two outs, scoring Ricky Teel on the play.
• Mason Self advanced to third on a wild pitch but two plays later Jhonkeanu Perez struck out to end the eighth for Radford.
• Zack Whitacre once again cut Winthrop's lead to two with an RBI single to center field with two outs in the ninth but Self flew out on the next play to end the first game.

KEY CONTRIBUTORS (GAME 2)

• Nate Chronis (1-1, R, 2 RBI, HR)
• Abe Affholter (2-4, R, RBI)
• Charlie Evans (2-4, R, 2B)

W: Drew Stanley (1-2)
 
L: Alex Logusch (1-1)
 
S: N/A
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)

• Radford scored the first four runs of the second game in the second inning.
• Nate Chronis got the Eagles on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a home run to right center field with two outs.
• Winthrop got guys on second and third on Evan's double to right field with one out in the bottom of the sixth.
• Winthrop then rallied to tie the game at 4-4, knotting it up on Anthony Ruocco's RBI single.
• The Highlanders nearly broke the tie in the seventh with Whitacre on third after Cameron Pittman's groundout.
• But Conner Butler flew out to end the inning.
• Radford made the score 5-4 in favor of them going into the bottom of the eighth on Keen's RBI single to left field with one, scoring Whitacre on the play.
• Pittman did reach third on a wild pitch with two outs in the top of the ninth as the Highlanders looked to go ahead by two but a pop out ended the threat.
• Teel singled with two outs but Hernandez grounded out to end the doubleheader.

ON DECK
Winthrop welcomes South Carolina in a re-match with the Gamecocks on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.