ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Brayden Gilley tossed five scoreless innings and Harrison Wilson picked up the four-inning save as Winthrop baseball opened its 2026 campaign with a 13-2 victory over Georgetown in the season opener at Founders Field on Friday afternoon.

GAME INFORMATION 

RECORD: Winthrop (1-0) | Georgetown (0-1) 

WINTHROP LEADERS: Alan Benhardt (2-for-3, 3 runs, double, 4 RBI) | Cade Norton (1-for-2, 3 runs, HR, RBI, BB, 2 HBP) | Grant McGuire (2-for-4, 2 RBI, HBP) | Gabe Natividad (2-for-5, RBI) 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Georgetown struck first in the top of the first as AJ Solomon reached on a fielding error and advanced to second base before Dylan Larkin delivered an RBI single to left field to give the Hoyas a 1-0 lead 
• Gilley settled in from there, retiring nine of the next 10 batters he faced through the second and third innings 
• Winthrop answered in the bottom of the third when Natividad singled to left field and moved to second on a throwing error by left fielder Travis Ilitc 
• After Josh Skowronski was hit by a pitch and Norton was plunked to load the bases, Benhardt lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Natividad and tie the game at 1-1 
• McGuire followed with an RBI single to left center to plate Skowronski and give the Eagles their first lead at 2-1 
• The Eagles blew the game open with a three-run fifth inning that started when Skowronski reached on an error and Norton drew a walk 
• Benhardt ripped a double to right center to score Skowronski, and Norton later came around to score on a wild pitch to push the lead to 5-1 
• Winthrop put together its biggest inning of the day in the sixth, plating four runs to take a commanding 9-1 advantage 
• Georgetown starter Kai Leckszas was replaced after three innings, having allowed two runs on two hits while hitting four batters, and the Hoyas burned through seven pitchers on the day 
• Left-hander Camron Poe entered in the sixth and was tagged for four runs without recording an out as Benhardt singled home a run, McGuire delivered another RBI single and Colin Crowley drew an RBI walk before Natividad capped the frame with an RBI single 
• Georgetown got one back in the seventh when pinch hitter Braxton Temp launched a solo home run to deep right field off Harrison Wilson to cut the deficit to 9-2 
• Wilson responded by inducing a double play to end the inning, and Norton answered with a solo blast of his own to deep left field in the bottom half to make it 11-2 
• Benhardt reached on a hit by pitch, stole second and came around to score on an RBI groundout from Ethan Wilson to push the lead to 12-2 after seven 
• Winthrop tacked on two more insurance runs in the eighth as pinch hitter Zach Greenberg drew an RBI walk and Benhardt added a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring at 13-2 
• Wilson slammed the door in the ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced to finish off the complete-game effort between the two Eagle pitchers 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Benhardt paced the offense with a team-high four RBI on two hits, a double, two sacrifice flies, a stolen base and three runs scored out of the five-hole 
• Norton reached base in all five plate appearances (1-for-2, HR, BB, 2 HBP) and scored three times while providing a jolt with his solo home run in the seventh 
• Gilley earned the win (1-0) with five innings of three-hit, one-run ball (zero earned), walking one and striking out three while scattering three hit batters 
• Wilson picked up the save with four dominant innings of relief, allowing just four hits and one earned run while punching out five and walking none on just 49 pitches 
• Winthrop was hit by a pitch nine times in the game, with Norton (2), Skowronski (1), McGuire (1), Hernandez (1), Benhardt (1), Crowley (1) and Ethan Wilson (2) all being plunked 
• Georgetown committed three errors and used seven pitchers in the loss, with Leckszas (0-1) taking the defeat after hitting four Eagle batters in three innings of work 

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
To keep up with the latest news on the Winthrop baseball program, follow the Eagles on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook