High Point beats Winthrop, ends Eagles’ baseball season
Winthrop’s baseball season came to an end Wednesday morning when the Eagles were eliminated in the second round of the Big South Conference tournament, dropping a 6-2 decision to No. 2-seed High Point.
With the loss, Winthrop will finish the season at 28-28, while High Point improves to 32-23. High Point advances to play the loser of the Longwood-Liberty game.
“First of all, I want to congratulate High Point,” said Winthrop coach Tom Riginos. “They played a great game, but our guys didn’t roll over. That’s what we’ve talked about all year long. We’ve had our backs against the wall and nearly every time we’ve fought back and I think you saw it again today.”
Today’s about our nine seniors. Those guys have done a great job with this program. But these nine seniors have won 78 games in the last two seasons and they’ve stuck with the program. I think that says a lot about these seniors. These nine guys will always have a special place in my heart.
Winthrop baseball coach Tom Riginos
after Wednesday’s season-ending loss to High PointTyler Asbill led the morning off with a double for the Eagles in the top of the first inning. Asbill advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Brandon Fite, and was later sent home on an Anthony Paulsen groundout for a 1-0 Winthrop lead.
The Panthers responded quickly in the bottom half of the frame when Dominic Fazio launched a three-run homer off Eagles starter Thad Harris for a 3-1 lead.
The scoring continued in the top of the second when Asbill connected with his second hit on the afternoon, knocking in Mitch Spires who had been walked earlier in the inning.
High Point’s Austen Zente led off the bottom of the third with a solo shot to right field. High Point added another tally on a left-side RBI single from Hunter Lee to widen the margin to 5-2.
A bizarre two-error defensive play by the Eagles in the fifth grew High Point’s lead to 6-2, and the Panthers held on from there to stay alive in the conference tournament.
Harris took the loss for Winthrop, pitching two innings allowing four earned runs. Harris was able to compile three strikeouts during his short outing however. High Point’s Andre Scrubb earned the win pitching 6.1 innings only allowing two runs.
This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 2:08 PM with the headline "High Point beats Winthrop, ends Eagles’ baseball season."