ROCK HILL, SC - The Eagles used strong pitching and timely hitting to sweep a doubleheader from La Salle (0-3) in Sunday afternoon baseball action at The Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill, SC. Winthrop (8-2) won game one 11-1, and game two 6-4.
"It was a good day for us at the ballpark," head coach Joe Hudak said. "Any day that you can win a doubleheader is a good day."
In game one, Chase Edwards pitched eight strong innings as the Eagles pounded La Salle starting pitcher Chris Hughes to win 11-1.
Edwards (1-1), a freshman left-hander, gave up just one run on seven hits to earn his first victory of the season. He also struck out three.
Hughes (0-1) gave up 11 runs in five innings of work to take the loss for the Explorers.
The Explorers started hot out of the gate, scoring a run in the first to take a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles jumped back, scoring four runs in the second to go ahead for good.
Designated hitter Grant Neidenfeuhr walked to lead off the second inning and advanced to third on a double by right fielder Daniel Carte. Left fielder Mark Schmidt hit an opposite field home run to give the Eagles a 3-1 lead. With two outs, shortstop Matt Repec hit a solo home run to put Winthrop up 4-1.
The Eagles added four runs in the third on a RBI double by first baseman Bennett Stapf, a two-run home run by Carte and a solo home run by third baseman David Scoggin.
Winthrop added three more runs in the fifth to set the score at 11-1
Matt Matkovich, Carte, Scoggin and Repec all had more than one hit in the game. Matkovich and Repec both had three hits a piece, while Carte and Scoggin each had two in the game.
"In game one we had great pitching, great hitting and we played good defense," Hudak said. "We played a complete game."
In game two, the Eagles needed a two-run fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie en route to a 6-4 win over the Explorers.
With one out, Matkovich singled to start the rally. He then stole second base and scored on a double by Carte to give the Eagles a 4-3 lead. Carte advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Neidenfeuhr to put the Eagles up 5-3.
The Explorers battled back in the eighth, scoring a run to cut the Eagles’ advantage to 5-4. With two outs, Ryan Parfitt doubled in John Snyder to cut Winthrop’s lead to one run.
In the bottom of the eighth, Scoggin doubled with two outs to drive in Carte to give the Eagles a 6-4 lead.
The Explorers made it interesting in the ninth, putting two runners on with one out before Ryan Chenard coaxed La Salle designated hitter Jim Fuchs to ground into a game-ending double play to preserve the Eagles’ victory.
Chenard earned a save for his performance, his first of the year, while Mike Honce (1-0) earned the win, throwing five strong innings in relief. Honce gave up just two runs on five hits while striking out six.
Harold Grant (0-1) took the loss for La Salle, giving up five runs on six hits in four and one-third innings pitched.
"The second game was a close ball game where we left a lot of runners on base," Hudak said. "We played just well enough to get a win.
"Mike Honce pitched extremely well. He’s got a great arm and needs to be aggressive. His last time out he wasn’t as aggressive as he needed to be, but today he came in and was very aggressive and threw the ball really well.
"Jody Elkins also came in and got a big out for us. He’s got a good curve ball and an excellent slider, and he’s really tough on right handed hitters. He came in with a runner on base in the eighth inning and struck out their best hitter. That was a really big out for us.
"Chenard also came in got a big double play for us to end the game. You have to give Matkovich and Repec a lot of credit on that play. That ball wasn’t hit extremely hard, but they were able to get to it and turn a great double play to help us get the win.
"Scoggin also had a huge hit for us in the eighth, driving in an insurance run with a two-out double. It’s been somebody different all the time. That’s been the key to our success, and hopefully we can keep it going."
The Eagles and Explorers end the four-game series Monday with a 5 p.m. game at The Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill, SC.
