Spartanburg, S.C. – Winthrop capped off day three of the 2026 Big South Conference Championship with a 9-2 win over fifth-seeded Gardner-Webb to advance to Saturday's championship game. The Eagles dropped their first game of the day to second-seeded USC Upstate, 4-1.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORD: Winthrop (30-22, 13-4 Big South) | USC Upstate (35-21, 12-6 Big South) | Gardner-Webb (31-25, 8-10 Big South
WINTHROP LEADERS: Tia Beckham (2-7, R, HR, 5RBI) |
Annelisa Winebarger (3-7, 2R, HR, RBI) |
Carli Pearson (2-6, 2RBI, BB) |
Lonna Addison (CG, W, 8IP, 3R, BB, 5K)
WHAT HAPPENED
vs. (2) USC Upstate
- Spartans struck first as Taliyah Thomas reached on a single as she laced a shot back at Emmy Cardenas who knocked it down but Thomas raced down the line for the base hit
- Thomas then stole second and moved to third on the play when the throw to second went into center field
- Two batters later Thomas scored on a ground out to shortstop by Carson Shaw for a 1-0 lead
- The Eagles tried to respond in the bottom of the first as they loaded the bases with two outs after three straight singles by Darrah Nickens, Annelisa Winebarger and Grayson Buckner
- Tia Beckham worked the count full and hit a hard grounder to third but the third baseman fielded it cleanly and stepped on the third base bag for the third out
- Spartans regained the lead in the top of the third as Thomas led off with a single up the middle and then moved to second a sacrifice bunt
- On the play Thomas continued to third and was safe ahead of a throw
- Shaw scored Thomas from third on a sacrifice fly down the right field line to lead 2-1
- In the bottom of the third the Eagles got a leadoff single by Peyton Bryden followed by a single by Nickens to set up a good scoring opportunity
- With two outs, Beckham stepped up and hit a hard grounder as the shortstop tried to slide keep the ball in the infield but it shot off the end of her glove into center field
- Bryden took advantage and raced around third to score and make it a one run game
- Spartans took a three run advantage in the top of the fifth as Shaw took a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left center for a two-run shot
- Shaw did it again in the top of the fifth as she hit a two out solo home run to right center for a 5-1 lead
vs. (5) Gardner-Webb
- Runnin' Bulldogs struck in the top of the first as Reese Collier doubled to left center with one out and then scored on a double down the left field line by Alli Stidham
- Eagles answered right back in the bottom of the first as Rebecca Amos and Nickens each drew a walk
- Beckham stepped up and took the first pitch out of the park in left center for a 3-1 lead
- Eagles added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth as Winebarger led off with a solo shot to center
- Winthrop eventually loaded the bases with two outs in the inning as Nickens came to the plate but grounded out to the short to end the threat
- Stidham led off the top of the sixth with a home run to left to cut the Eagle lead in half at 4-2
- Eagles tacked on more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Emma Roberson drew a leadoff walk and then scored from first on a double to right center by Amos
- Bryden followed with a double to right center to plate Amos and lead 6-2
- Winthrop added three more runs to take a seven run advantage into the seventh
- Addison worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning to earn her 19th win in the circle on the season
EXTRA BASES
- This is the third straight year the Eagles advanced to the Big South Championship game, four of the last six tournaments and 16th all-time
- Winthrop earned 30 wins for the first time since 2019 (Eagles advanced to title game that season as well)
- Winebarger and Beckham each homered on the day for their 11th of the season, tying them for the 4th most in a single-season by an Eagle
- Beckham surpassed 40 RBI on the year, becoming just the second Eagle in program history with more than one season with 40 or more (Christine Yon)
- She now leads the team with 44 while Bryden is at 43 followed by Nickens at 42
- It's only the second time an Eagle team had three players with 40 or more RBI in season (2007 was the first)
- Addison's 19th win on the season is the most by an Eagle in the circle since Megan Evans had 18 in 2008
ON DECK
Winthrop will face second-seeded USC Upstate on Saturday, May 9 at 12 p.m. in the championship game. The Eagles will have to win twice to claim the title.
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