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3/21/2026 | 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Mar. 21 (Sat) / 4:00 p.m. (EST)
at Sacramento State
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Winthrop University baseball team erupted for six runs in the eighth inning to retake the lead and held on for a 14-12 victory over Sacramento State on Friday evening at John Smith Field.
GAME INFORMATION
RECORD:
Winthrop (16-7) | Sacramento State (9-14)
WINTHROP LEADERS: Gabe Natividad (3-for-6, HR, 3 RBI, SB) | Josh Skowronski (3-for-4, double, 3 RBI, 2 walks, 2 SB) | Alan Benhardt (3-for-5, 3 RBI, SF) | Grant McGuire (3-for-5, 2 RBI, SB) | Cornelius Wouters (2-for-5, double, 2 RBI, walk, SB)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Natividad launched a solo homer on the second pitch of the game and McGuire added an RBI single later in the first for a 2-0 lead
Grossington doubled to lead off the second and scored on a Natividad RBI single before Skowronski tripled down the right field line to make it 4-0
Luke Earnhardt held Sacramento State scoreless through four innings before the Hornets strung together three runs in the fifth to cut it to 4-3
Winthrop answered right back with three in the fifth as Benhardt and Wouters ripped back-to-back RBI singles and Crowley added an RBI groundout to push it to 7-3
Sacramento State tied the game at 7-7 with four in the seventh, aided by two Winthrop errors
The Eagles came right back with a massive six-run eighth, sending 10 batters to the plate and chasing Sacramento State reliever Sean Carey without recording an out
Natividad, Skowronski, Benhardt, Wouters and McGuire all drove in runs during the inning as Winthrop took a 13-7 lead
Benhardt added another RBI single in the ninth for a 14-7 cushion
Sacramento State made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth as Jakob Poturnak crushed a grand slam and Ayden Hadley doubled home another to cut it to 14-12
Ben Rehkow entered and retired the final two batters to earn the save
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
McNeely earned his fourth win despite allowing five runs in the ninth
Winthrop collected 18 hits, its highest total of the season, with five players recording three hits apiece
Natividad’s leadoff homer set the tone early, his first blast of the season, as he finished 3-for-6 with three RBI
Skowronski continued his torrid on-base stretch, reaching five times with three hits and two walks
The Eagles improved to 16-7 and have won six of their last seven games
ON DECK
The Eagles head to Sacramento, taking on the Hornets for a three-game series starting on Thursday
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