State scoreboard, Wednesday, March 5

Ethan Petry raised his batting average to .420
with three hits Wednesday night. (USC photo) 

Player of the day: Ethan Petry, South Carolina 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI

Alan Benhardt and Ethan Wilson had three hits and three RBI each as Winthrop gained a split in a series at No. 16 Oklahoma State in Stillwater.

It was the program's first win over a ranked team since a 13-inning 6-5 win over Coastal Carolina in 2011.

"It was a great win and a great road trip for us," coach Mike McGuire said in an interview posted on Winthrop baseball's X account. "I'm proud of the guys. We battled in both ball games. And honestly, we defended very well and we pitched very well.

Wilson and Benhardt had RBI singles as the Eagles (8-5) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Gabe Natividad's fourth-inning single made the score 4-0.

Benhardt made the score 6-0 in the fifth.

The Cowboys got three runs in the fifth, but the Eagles restored the six-run cushion with a three-run ninth, capped by Wilson's two-run double.
 

Lance Wade (three shutout innings) and Harrison Wilson (six innings( struck out six Cowboys apiece.

"It was two really good days of baseball against the No. 16 team in the country, a team that'll probably host a regional this spring," McGuire said. "We're growing as a team and growing as a program.

 "I like where we're at 13 games into the year," McGuire said. "We're getting better, and I've said all along that we can be a really good club in May and I think we're heading that direction."

Elsewhere: Clemson (12-1) scored six runs in the fifth inning to blow past Presbyterian and hand Erik Bakich his 100th win as Tigers coach.  It was Clemson's 10th straight win ... Jarvis Evans struck out six in a career-high seven innings and Ethan Petry had two doubles and his 48th career home run for South Carolina as it beat The Citadel in Charleston. Petry tied Hank Small on USC's career homers list. Freshman Beau Hollins also had three hits ... Five pitchers combined for a five-hitter as Spartanburg Methodist pushed its winning streak to five games ...  Josean Sanchez singled in Dylan Wanat in the ninth to cap Erskine's five-run comeback to beat USC Aiken ... Jabari Flemon struck out 10 in five innings as USC Sumter run-ruled the Francis Marion developmental team ... USC Salkehatchie suffered a pair of five-inning losses to nationally ranked Georgia Highlands.

Clemson 11, Presbyterian 2 - Cle: Jarren Purify 3-4, 2B, 3B, R, 4 RBI

Erskine 9, USC Aiken 8 - Ers: Dylan Wanat 2-3, HR, 2 BB, 2 R, 3 RBI
Georgia Highlands 22, USC Salkehatchie 0, 5 innings, Game 1 - Daniel Clark 1-2

Georgia Highlands 23, USC Salkehatchie 1, 5  innings, Game 2 - Sal: Owen Wellman 2-3, RBI
South Carolina 9, The Citadel 1 - USC: Evan Stone 2B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI

Spartanburg Methodist 4, Milligan 1 - Spa: Elijah Franz 2-4, SB, R

USC Sumter 12, Francis Marion JV 2, 8 innings - Sum: Dylan Dampier 2-3, 3 BB, RS, 4 RBI

Winthrop 9, Oklahoma State 3 - Win: Harrison Wilson W, 6 IP, 3 R, 5 K

Canceled

Columbia International JV at USC Union, DH

Postponed

College of Charleston at North Carolina, no makeup date announced

Florence-Darlington Tech at Fayetteville Tech, to Thursday.

(8/482)