#5 Winthrop Eliminates #4 Radford, 13-4
By Winthrop Athletics
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Winthrop defeated Radford in an elimination game on the second day of the 2025 Big South Conference Tournament.
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
Gabe Natividad (3-4, 4 R, RBI)
Jaylen Hernandez (2-3, R, RBI, 3B)
Koby Kropf (3-5, R, 3 RBI)
Nate Chronis (2-5. R, RBI)
Alan Benhardt (2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B)
Colin Crowley (1-3, R, RBI)
HOW IT HAPPENED
-With the bases loaded in the top of the first, Chronis's single through the right side with two outs brought in Natividad and put the Eagles on top 1-0
-Eagles upped the lead to 2-0 in the third as Kropf plated Natividad home with a sac fly to left field
-The lead then doubled to 4-0 after the top of the fourth as Crowley drove in Benhardt and Natividad scored Chazz Grossington three plays later
-Radford got a run back on an error with two outs in the bottom of the inning
-But Winthrop exploded with a seven-spot in the top of the fifth to take an 11-1 lead
-The Highlanders responded with three runs in their half of the frame to cut it to seven
-Kropf's RBI single drove in Natividad to put the Eagles up eight in the top of the seventh
-But the Eagles were not done as they loaded the bases in the ninth with one out and Crowley came in to score on a wild pitch
-Two plays later Winthrop again loaded the bases, this time with two outs, but a groundout ended the inning
TEAM TIDBITS
Winthrop moves to 1,412-1,028-7 all-time as a program
Winthrop is 6-4 all-time vs. Radford at the Big South Tournament
Eagles hold a record of 61-54 in the conference tournament
Winthrop has played in six of the seven tournaments held in NC and hold a record of 18-12
ON DECK
Winthrop will take on third-seeded Charleston Southern at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 23 at Truist Point in High Point, N.C. in an elimination game on ESPN+.