ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop baseball team used five runs scored in two innings to erase a three-run deficit against Wagner as the Eagles collected a hard-fought 5-4 win Monday afternoon at The Winthrop Ballpark.
Trailing 2-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Winthrop got a three-run seventh inning to take the 5-4 lead. Junior first baseman Eddie Tisdale led off by being hit by Wagner starter Joe Testa. Sophomore shortstop Kevin Nolan followed as he looked at four straight balls to get a walk and a double down the left field line by freshman designated hitter Eddie Rohan scored Tisdale advancing Nolan to third. After senior catcher Billy Froehlich popped up, freshman outfielder Tony Brunetti scored Nolan on a sacrifice fly. Junior second baseman Aaron Bonomi drove in the last run of the inning as he singled through the right side to score Rohan from second.
“It was a really good win for us,” said Winthrop head coach Joe Hudak. “To get down three to nothing and come back, get close, and give up another run that we shouldn’t have given up, and come back and score three was really big for us. We didn’t have any come-from-behind wins this year, so this was a really big win for us.”
The Eagles are now 8-15 on the year, while Wagner falls to 5-9 overal.
Five different Eagles contributed with runs batted in, while Nolan, senior outfielder Louis Ullrich and freshman outfielder Bennett Jordan had two hits on the day. “We had a lot of guys that really contributed today and that’s really good to see,” said Hudak.
Senior right-hander Josh McDonald improved his win-loss record to 1-3 on the year as he came in with no outs in the seventh inning. McDonald allowed no runs on three hits, one walk, while striking out one Seahawk for his third win over Wagner in three years. Freshman righty Robert Lake started his second game of the year giving up three runs on five hits, three walks and one strikeout in 3.2 innings. Senior left-hander Billy Tinsley relieved Lake as he worked 2.1 innings allowing one run on one hit, no walks and no strikeouts.
“I though we got great relief pitching,” said Hudak. “I though Billy Tinsley was a key. He came in and threw very well for us giving two good innings.”
Seth Boyd led the Wagner offense as he had three hits, including a home run, and three RBI in the game. Joe Jamison also hit a homer on Monday.
Left-hander Joe Testa, usually Wagner’s Friday night pitcher, was charged with the loss as he gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
Wagner took a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Jamison hit a bases empty home run off Lake.
The Seahawks increased the margin to 3-0 in the third inning with another long ball as Boyd went yard with Damian Csakai, who had singled, on base.
The Eagles got back in the game in the fifth inning when they scored two runs. Junior third baseman reached on a fielding error by third baseman Jon Lucas and advanced to second behind a single by Tisdale. A long double to left-center field by Nolan scored Henderson advancing Tisdale to third and, after Rohan walked, Froehlich came up with a long fly ball to left field to score Tisdale on a sac fly.
Wagner got another run making it a 4-2 game in the seventh inning. Boyd hit a leadoff single and got thrown out at second with Vin Avella reaching on a fielder’s choice as the Eagles couldn’t turn the four, six, three double play. McDonald then walked Jon Lucas and a single by Jamison scored Avella from second.
After the Eagles turned the game around to 5-4, the Seahawks posed a real threat in the ninth inning as McDonald plunked leadoff hitter Boyd and Avella singled. Lucas was next as he hit a deep fly ball to right fielder Bryan Bogue. Boyd, who was standing at second base, thought it was time to tag and took off for third, but Nolan, who was holding the ball after it had gone through Henderson at third, felt the runner had departed too early and threw it to Bonomi, who stepped on second base. Sure enough, Boyd had indeed taken off too early and the Eagles erased both runners on a seven, five, six, four double play.
“I thought he left early,” said Hudak. “It was a big break for us. We’ll take it. Things have gone against us numerous times this year and we’ll take something gone for us for a change.”
The Eagle return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Charleston to take on The Citadel at 6 p.m.
