The Winthrop University baseball team will face USC Upstate in a Big South Conference series at Founders Field, with games scheduled for April 17 through April 19.
This matchup is significant as the teams meet for the 25th, 26th, and 27th times in their history. The all-time series currently favors USC Upstate, who leads Winthrop by a margin of 17-7. Notably, the Eagles have not beaten the Spartans at home since 2021.
Winthrop enters the weekend with a record of 24-13 overall and a strong conference mark of 7-2. The team has achieved several notable accomplishments this season, including leading the nation in hit by pitches with a total of 97. Josh Skowronski ranks among national leaders in walks drawn, while Gabe Natividad is third nationally in hit by pitches and first per game. Jaylen Hernandez leads the Big South Conference with ten home runs and recently earned Player of the Week honors after batting .538 over four games.
The Eagles are coming off an offensive surge against Elon that ended a losing streak and marked their first win at Elon in program history. Pitching has also been a highlight: Brayden Gilley was recognized as Big South Starting Pitcher of the Week twice this season after standout performances on the mound. Several other players have received conference or national recognition for their play this year.
Head coach Mike McGuire returned to lead Winthrop last season after previously serving as head coach at USC Upstate for five years and spending more than a decade as an assistant coach with Winthrop earlier in his career. This marks McGuire’s third stint with Winthrop’s baseball program.
Looking ahead, fans can follow live coverage via ESPN+ or Statbroadcast throughout the weekend series.
