ROCK HILL, SC — The Winthrop baseball team snapped a three-game losing streak as it cruised past Kent State 9-1 Saturday afternoon at The Winthrop Ballpark in the second day of the Coca-Cola Classic.
Saturday’s win moved up Winthrop’s record to 9-7, while dropping the Golden Flashes to 2-6 in the year. The Eagles completed a game with no errors for the first time this season.
After stealing four bases on Friday against Temple, senior co-captain, shortstop Chris Carrara, had another fine offensive game as he went two for four at the plate with two RBI and three more stolen bags. Junior outfielder Billy Froehlich also went two for four and added three RBI to lead the Eagle offense.
“Carrara puts so much pressure on the other team and he makes us go offensively,” said Winthrop head coach Joe Hudak. “He started to swing the bat better and he’s being more patient as he’s been getting some hits and some walks. Froehlich was also really big for us as he drove in three crucial runs.”
Junior right-hander Josh McDonald (1-0, 4.38 ERA) got the “W” as he started the contest on the mound for the Eagles and had a solid performance as he worked 6.2 innings, giving up eight hits, one run, while striking out five batters and walking other two. Junior Owen Reid (0-0, 7.71) came in to relieve in the seventh inning and finished the game allowing two hits, no runs, while striking out three batters and walking none. The loss was charged to Kyle Smith as he pitched 4.1 frames, giving up seven hits, six runs, while striking out two batters and issuing three walks.
“This was Josh’s best game of the year. I thought he had good command and we also swung the bat real well. These are the Eagles that we know off and it’s nice to see them playing this way,” said Hudak. “Kent State had a good pitcher on the mound as he threw five shutout innings against Florida last week and we hit him pretty well today.”
The Eagles got to the scoreboard in the second inning as junior outfielder Louis Ullrich doubled his way onto base. The Eagles wasted no time to put small ball in play as freshman third baseman Kevin Nolan tried to move Ullrich with a squeeze bunt, and an Error by Kent State first baseman Andrew Davis allowed Nolan to reach first safely as well as advancing Ullrich to third. Junior outfielder Billy Froehlich then hit a single to score Ullrich and move Nolan to second. Freshman catcher John Murrian followed with another sacrifice bunt reaching first on a fielder’s choice, advancing Froehlich to second and eliminating Nolan at third. A single by freshman second baseman Rand Baughman then got the bases juiced for Carrara, who doubled scoring Froehlich from third and Murrian from second.
The Golden Flashes got their only run in the third frame as Jared Bartholomew reached first on a fielder’s choice eliminating Chris Tremblay, who had singled moments earlier, at second, advanced a base as a walk was issued to Andrew Davis and scored behind a single from Greg Roham.
Winthrop produced two more runs in the third inning as sophomore designated hitter Phil Carey hit a lead off double. Ullrich followed with a single advancing Carey to third. With runners on both corners, Froehlich tripled for the first time this season clearing the bases and adding two RBI to his stats.
The Eagles increased their lead to 6-1 in the fifth inning as Ullrich led off the frame with a walk, advanced to second on a ground out by Nolan, move up to third on another ground out, this time by Froehlich, and reached the home plate after a single from Murrian.
Winthrop’s seventh run came one inning later as Carrara reached first on a throwing error by Trembley, the shortstop, stole second base and scored as sophomore first baseman Bryn Henderson singled.
The Eagles wouldn’t be quite done scoring runs as they managed to get two more in the eighth inning. Carrara hit a lead off single to get on base and then got his third stolen base of the game and 13th of the year. Sophomore first baseman Eddie Tisdale, who had come in for Henderson moments earlier, tripled in his first at bat to send Carrara home. Tisdale scored from the hot corner as Carey grounded out putting final numbers to the scoreboard.
The Eagles now square off with the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Coca-Cola Classic’s last game.
