FARMVILLE, Va. – Winthrop's Big South-leading offense powered the Eagles past Longwood on Friday night 12-4 in the first game of a three-game series. The Eagle offense amassed 15 hits and took advantage of seven Lancer errors to remain unbeaten in Big South play.
 
Early on, it was death by a thousand cuts. Winthrop (12-9 overall, 4-0 Big South) jumped out to a 6-1 lead after six innings behind nine singles and five Longwood errors. Thirteen of Winthrop's 15 hits were singles, and the Eagles didn't record an extra-base hit until the eighth inning. Matthew Mulkey drove in a team-best four runs for the Eagles as six different players crossed home plate.
 
Jawan McAllister put the Lancers (7-14 overall, 2-2 Big South) on the board by singling in Jacob Mitchell in the fifth, and Mitchell keyed a rally in the seventh to cut the lead to two. The junior led off with a single, his third of the game. After a walk by pinch-hitter Nathan Iskowitz and a double steal, McAllister hit a bloop single to shallow right center to plate one run. Eli Mercado squeezed home a run with a nice sacrifice bunt, and Carlos Garrido cut the lead to 6-4 by rocketing an RBI single through the right side.
 
Winthrop answered with a three-run eighth before adding three in the ninth to seal the deal. Four of the six runs were unearned as untimely errors hurt the Lancers.
 
Zach Peek (3-1) earned the win for Winthrop after throwing 5.2 innings and surrendering one unearned run on four hits and three walks while striking out eight.
 
Andrew Melnyk (0-1) took the loss despite striking out a career-high seven in a career-best six innings. The freshman surrendered six runs, three earned, on nine hits and three walks.
 
The two teams tangle again on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
 
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