ROCK HILL, S.C. – The University of Pennsylvania split a doubleheader against Winthrop this Saturday, March 9. Penn cruised to victory in the first game, using a six run seventh inning and a five run ninth to win 13-4. The Quakers couldn't quite get the bats going in the second game, losing 4-1.
 
GAME 1
WP: Christian Scafidi (1-0)
LP: Mason Groves (0-1)
 
GAME 2
WP: Nate Pawelczyk (3-1)
LP: John Alan Kendrick (0-1)
SV: Colten Rendon (1)
 
NOTES
*Matt McGeagh hit his first home run of the season, and 15th  of his career with a two-run shot in the top of the seventh. The four runs batted in is the most by a Penn player since Peter Matt knocked in four in the second game of a doubleheader with Cornell on April 21, 2018.
 
*Scafidi earned his first win of the season in his second start. He threw seven frames and fanned six batters.

*Jacob Sadowitz made his fourth appearance of the season, and his second-straight scoreless appearance.
 
*Six different Penn players registered an RBI in game one (Courtney, Matt, Phelan, Malinowski, McGeagh, Larsen) while three tallied multiple RBIs (Matt – 2, Malinowski – 2, McGeagh – 4).
 
*The Quakers scored six runs in the seventh inning of game one, their most runs scored in an inning this season.
 
*Penn posted 16 hits in game one—the Quakers' highest tally since a win against Brown on March 25, 2018.
 
*Eduardo Malinowski leads the Quakers with five RBIs after knocking in two on a triple to take the lead in game one.
 
*Malinowski is the second Penn player to register a triple this season.
 
*Tommy Courtney and Peter Matt extended their hit streak to seven games after registering a hit in each of Penn's games during the doubleheader. Both batters have nine hits and rank second on the team in that category.
 
*John Alan Kendrick tied his career high in strikeouts during game two. He fanned nine batters in 5.1 innings on the hump.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: GAME 1
Winthrop got its bats going early, taking the lead in the first inning on a sac fly. They added on a pair in the second on a pair of doubles in the second inning and tacked on a fourth run with a double to right center.
 
The Quakers cut two back in the fifth inning with a pair of RBI doubles; the first coming from Matt and the second coming from Phelan.
 
Penn's bats started heating up in the ninth. Josh Hood walked, then advanced to third after an infield ground out and a wild pitch. He cut the deficit to one, scoring on a wild pitch which was the fourth ball to walk Matt.
 
Phelan and O'Neill walked to load the bags, and another wild pitch brought Matt home to tie the game. Malinowski cleared the bags with a triple to center field, giving Penn a 6-4 lead. On the next at bat, McGeagh hit his first home run of the season—a two run shot—to put the Quakers up by four.
 
Neither team was able to register a hit in the eighth, and the Penn bats got going again in the ninth.
 
Phelan, O'Neill, and Malinowski hit three consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs. McGeagh hit a single to center, driving in a pair of runs. Larsen hit a fifth consecutive single for the Quakers to plate Malinowski.
 
Two consecutive outs at home plate put runners on first and second. Tommy Courtney hit Penn's seventh single of the inning and Christian Walton rounded third to score. Matt capped off the late offensive surge for Penn with another RBI single.
 
Dylan Mulvihill entered the game in the ninth and retired the side to give Penn its third win and second series opening win of the year.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: GAME 2
Both teams were unable to generate any offense through the first two frames, mostly due to strong pitching by both starters. Winthrop got on the board first with a leadoff home run to left. Kendrick responded by striking out the Eagles' next three batters.
 
Penn struck back as Hood smacked a hard ground ball between the legs of the Winthrop shortstop, plating Larsen. The Eagles responded in the next frame, however, with another solo shot over the left field wall.
 
Winthrop added a cushion to their lead with an RBI single in the sixth inning, then another on a passed ball to go three runs in front.
 
The Quakers had their best chance to muster something from the game in the eighth. Two walks and a pitch into the shoulder of McGeagh loaded the bases with two outs, but a pop fly to the third baseman ended the threat.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Penn closes out the series and its southern swing with one last game against Winthrop on Sunday, March 9 with first pitch coming at 1 p.m.