Winthrop baseball topples Charlotte

The Winthrop baseball team used home runs by Roger Gonzalez and Jace Whitley to blow by Charlotte 5-1 on Tuesday night.

With the win, the Eagles improve to 24-14 on the year while the 49ers drop to 13-17.

Freshman Riley Arnone earned his second win of the year, allowing one run on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. Four other Winthrop throwers made appearances and held the 49ers to five hits in the final four innings, led by Travis Shelley who held Charlotte hit-less in two innings. Matt Horkey took the loss for the 49ers, surrendering three runs on eight hits.

Mark Lowrie led the team’s 14 hit attack, going 3-4 with 2 RBIs.

Charlotte took an early lead as Luke Gibbs scored on a wild pitch after reaching and advancing to second on a throwing error by Arnone and moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Patrick Raley.

Gonzalez tied it up in the fourth inning hitting a home run to left field, his second of the year.

Whitley put the Eagles on top 2-1, slamming his second homer of the year over the center field fence in the fifth inning.

The Eagles pushed the advantage to 3-1 in the sixth inning. With one out, Anthony Paulsen doubled to left field. Paulsen then advanced to third as Gonzalez grounded out before coming home on a single through the left side by Lowrie.

Tyler Asbill and Brad Kaczka hit back to back singles to lead off the eighth inning with both runners advancing on a ground out by Gonzalez. Lowrie got his second RBI of the night, bringing Asbill home on an infield single to bring the score to 4-1.

Whitley tacked on one more insurance run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Mitch Spires. Whitley singled and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher.

The Eagles return home this weekend to take on UNC Asheville in a three-game conference series beginning Friday at 7 p.m. at Winthrop Ballpark.

Clemson 14, Western Carolina 2: The Tigers scored seven runs in the fourth inning en route to a victory over Western Carolina at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers, who won the home-and-home season series 2-0, improved to 19-18. The Catamounts dropped to 15-17.

Clemson scored three runs in the second inning, highlighted by Tyler Slaton’s run-scoring single. After the Tigers scored a run in the third inning, they erupted for seven runs on three hits and three Catamount errors in the fourth inning to take a commanding 11-0 lead. Tyler Krieger and Chris Okey both belted two-run singles in the frame. Clemson added three runs in the fifth inning.

Reed Rohlman extended hit hitting streak to 10 games by going 2-for-2 with three runs and two walks in Clemson’s 11-hit attack. Okey went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs, Glenn Batson went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs and Slaton tied his career high with four RBIs.

Tiger starter Jake Long (1-0) earned the win by allowing just one hit, one run and one walk with five strikeouts in 6 innings pitched. He did not allow a hit until Austin Atwell’s solo homer with one out in the sixth inning. Long held Western Carolina, who entered the game 30th in the nation in runs per game (6.9) and 35th in batting average (.297), in check. Catamount starter Brendan Nail (2-3) suffered the loss.

Clemson hosts Gardner-Webb on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

This story was originally published April 14, 2015 at 10:39 PM with the headline "Winthrop baseball topples Charlotte."