ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop baseball team will host its final regular season tournament this weekend as the Michigan Wolverines and Stony Brook Seawolves travel to The Winthrop Ballpark for the Bojangles Baseball Classic.
The Eagles (5-5) enter this weekend riding a three-game winning streak after sweeping the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Manhattan Jaspers in the Coca-Cola Classic last weekend. Winthrop defeated the Fighting Irish 4-2 and 7-2, while coming-from-behind for a 10-3 victory against the Jaspers.
Senior catcher Eddie Rohan remains the team's leading hitter with a .432 average at the plate, and is tied with redshirt junior designated hitter Brett Thomas with eight RBI. Sophomore outfielder Patrick Gamblin hit the Eagles' lone home run of the season last weekend against Notre Dame. Junior pitcher Tyler Mizenko (2-0, 2.50 ERA) has won his last two starts on the mound against the Fighting Irish and Wagner Seahawks. He tossed a career-best 8.0 innings in the win over Notre Dame last weekend, which gives him career-high outings in his last two starts.
The Wolverines are currently 2-9 this season with both wins coming against the University of Massachusetts last weekend at the Bearkat Baseball Invitational in Huntsville, TX. Michigan is in its ninth season of the Rich Maloney Era, and he has compiled a 304-182 record with the program. In his 15-plus seasons coaching, Maloney is 560-326-1 overall. The Wolverines play in the Big 10 Conference, and was predicted to finish second in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. They are led offensively by freshman Michael O'Neill with a .386 average at the plate. Redshirt junior Garrett Stephens also had a team-best one home run and 10 RBI staring in all 11 contests. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Mills leads Michigan on the mound with a 1-1 record and 3.77 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched.
The all-time series between Winthrop and the Wolverines is tied at 1-1. Michigan won the first-ever meeting 8-5 on Mar. 16, 2003, while the Eagles won 5-3 on Mar. 18, 2006. Both contests were played at The Winthrop Ballpark.
The Seawolves sport a 3-4 overall record heading into the Bojangles Baseball Classic this weekend. Stony Brook is under the direction of head coach Matt Senk, who is entering his 21st season at the helm of the Seawolves program. Stony Brook is the defending America East Champions and was picked the win the conference again this season in the annual Preseason Coaches' Poll. It participated in the Conway, SC Regional last season, hosted by Big South member Coastal Carolina. The Seawolves are led offensively by Pat Cantwekk with a .500 average, while William Carmona leads the team with two homers and nine RBI. Nick Tropeano is one of three pitchers to post one win on the mound this season, and posts a 2.31 ERA. Brandon McNitt has a team-low 1.93 ERA in 9.1 innings pitched.
Winthrop leads the all-time series over Stony Brook 4-1, with all five games being played in Rock Hill. The Seawolves won the first-ever meeting 2-1 on Mar. 9, 2001, but the Eagles have won the last four by a combined score of 42-21. Winthrop last defeated Stony Brook 5-4 on Apr. 30, 2006.
The Eagles will face The Citadel Bulldogs in two midweek contests next week, Mar. 15 in Rock Hill and Mar. 16 in Charleston, before opening Big South Conference play next weekend against the VMI Keydets at The Winthrop Ballpark.
