ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop scored five times in the final three innings and took a 9-8 win over Gardner-Webb in 10 innings Friday night in a Big South series opener.
Gardner-Webb (14-7, 3-1 Big South) saw its eight-game win streak snapped, despite building an early 7-2 lead and holding an 8-4 edge after the seventh.
A two-run homer by
Nate Anderson in the top of the second pulled Gardner-Webb even after an error in the bottom of the first allowed two runs to cross for the Eagles (10-13, 1-3 Big South).
Mark Black followed with a solo home run in the fourth for a 3-2 lead and
Jacob McCaskey belted a three-run job in the top of the fifth to make it 6-2. Black followed, going back-to-back with another solo shot for a 7-2 advantage.
Winthrop plated one run in the fifth and another in the sixth to pull within 7-4, but Gardner-Webb added another run itself in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Black for an 8-4 margin.
The Eagles got a two-run hit in the eighth to pull within 8-6 and scored twice in the bottom of the ninth – taking advantage of an error – to tie the game.
Gardner-Webb used a pair of walks to threaten in the top of the 10th but stranded both men, leaving the door open for Winthrop.
A walk, an infield bunt single and an intentional walk after a one-out wild pitch loaded the bases and a fly ball to right – deep enough to score the runner from third on a potential sacrifice fly – was dropped to end the game.
Luke Goodyear took the loss for Gardner-Webb in relief, allowing one run on one hit in 0.2 innings of work. Gardner-Webb used eight arms in the game.
Starter
Bobby Alcock got a no decision after allowing just one earned run (four runs) in 5.1 innings. He struck out 10 and walked three, scattering three hits in the outing.
Gardner-Webb had 11 hits, with Black going 4-for-5 with three runs, a pair of home runs and three RBI to pace that attack. McCaskey (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) and
Jacob Marcos (2-for-6, run) also had multiple hits.
The two teams will be back in action on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm.
