The Winthrop University baseball team announced on April 30 that it will travel to Asheville for its second consecutive Big South Conference road series. The Eagles are set to face the Aggies for the 123rd, 124th, and 125th meetings between the two programs, with Winthrop leading the all-time series.
This matchup is significant as it highlights Winthrop’s strong historical performance against Asheville and their continued pursuit of conference success. The Eagles currently hold an advantage in both overall meetings and games played on the road.
Winthrop leads the nation in hit by pitches, tied with Kentucky at a total of 110 after being first to reach this mark in NCAA play. Josh Skowronski ranks among national leaders in walks, while Gabe Natividad is tied for first nationally in hit by pitches and leads per-game statistics. Jaylen Hernandez stands out with a league-leading home run tally and recently earned Big South Player of the Week honors after hitting .500 over four games, including three consecutive solo home runs.
Harrison Wilson was named Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week following his contributions to a sweep over USC Upstate. Other notable performances include Brayden Gilley’s second Starting Pitcher of the Week award after six innings of scoreless pitching against Charleston Southern and Mason Tompkins’ dominant outing against Princeton. The Eagles have also achieved several milestones this season such as their best start through 25 games since 2006 and winning streaks throughout different points in their schedule.
Several players have received preseason or weekly honors, including Natividad’s ranking as No.19 second baseman nationally by D1Baseball, Skowronski being named an MLB Draft Gem by Baseball America, and multiple pitchers listed on watchlists for national awards. Head Coach Mike McGuire returned last season for his third stint with Winthrop after coaching at USC Upstate.
As they continue their conference campaign, Winthrop aims to build on early successes while integrating new roster additions alongside returning contributors.
