#1 Winthrop Edges #5 Gardner-Webb, 7-6 To Advance to Semifinals

#1 Winthrop Edges #5 Gardner-Webb, 7-6 To Advance to Semifinals

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By Winthrop Athletics

Spartanburg, S.C. – Winthrop overcame an early three-run deficit to pull out a 7-6 victory over fifth-seeded Gardner-Webb in the Eagles opening game of the 2026 Big South Conference Tournament, Thursday afternoon.
 

WHAT HAPPENED

  • Gardner-Webb struck first as it got three consecutive hits with two outs as Caitlin Colley fisted a pitch into left center as Alli Stidham scored
  • Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the second as Tia Beckham set the table with a leadoff walk
  • Grayson Buckner followed with a single through the left side and then Annelisa Winebarger sacrificed both runners over
  • Carli Pearson hit a soft chopper in front of the plate as Beckham raced home on the ground out
  • Runnin' Bulldogs regained the lead in the top of the third as Reese Collier homered to left with one out
  • Gardner-Webb took a 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth thanks to an RBI bunt single from Annicka McLaughlin and a bases loaded walk from Stidham
  • The Eagles pushed six runs across in the the bottom of the fourth to take the lead
  • Buckner led off with a single and then Winebarger hit a two-run home run to left center
  • The Eagles loaded the bases and Peyton Bryden drew a walk to tie the game at 4-4
  • Winthrop took the lead as Darrah Nickens hit a hard chopper over the head of the pitcher who knocked it down but didn't have a play as Nickens raced to first and Tabitha Perry scored from third
  • Rebecca Amos and Bryden each scored on a wild pitch as the Eagles led 7-4
  • Gardner-Webb answered in the top of the sixth as pinch-hitter Taylor Dreher looped a single into center to start the inning
  • Later in the inning with runners at second and third, Collier plated a runner on a ground out and then Stidham made it a one run game with an RBI single to center

EXTRA BASES

  • Winebarger's home run was the 11th of her career, becoming the 27th Eagle all-time with at least 11 in a career
  • The Eagles have now won their opening game of the Big South Tournament in the last four tournament's they've competed in (2026, 2025, 2024, 2019)
  • Winthrop hit a home run in its 29th game of the season and now has 45 on the year
  • Winebarger joins Beckham reaching the 10 home run mark in a single-season
  • It's the second straight season the Eagles had multiple players with 10 or more home runs and just third time in program history
  • The win is the 70th all-time conference tournament victory, becoming the first program in league history to reach 70

ON DECK

Winthrop will face second-seeded USC Upstate on Friday, May 8 at 12 p.m. with the winner headed to the Big South Title game on Saturday scheduled for noon.