ROCK HILL, S.C. – The University of Pennsylvania baseball team swept a doubleheader from Winthrop on Sunday, slugging their way to a 10-2 win in the opener before getting a phenomenal pitching performance from Owen Coady in the finale, taking it 2-1.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)
The Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the first, but Penn starter Joe Miller got out of the threat with a strikeout.
 
The Quakers rewarded Miller's rally-stifling effort with ample run support in the second. With two on and two out after a Craig Larsen single and Asa Wilson hit by pitch, Seth Werchan doubled down the left field line, driving in Larsen and sending Wilson to third. Tommy Courtney followed with a triple down the right field line, putting Penn up 3-0. Jackson Appel followed with a single, plating Courtney.
 
After Miller set Winthrop down 1-2-3 in the second, the Quaker bats went back to work in the third, knocking the Eagles' starter out after a Ben Miller double, a Larsen single, and a walk to Calvin Brown; Penn eventually pushed another run across on an RBI groundout by Wilson, putting them up 5-0 through three.
 
In the sixth, Wilson led off with a single, advanced to third on a two-out double by Appel, and came across on a wild pitch, putting Penn up 6-0. Wilson also factored in Penn's seventh run in the top of the seventh when he singled home Miller, who'd reached on a single to lead off the inning.
 
Miller settled in nicely after his three-walk first inning, retiring 11 batters in a row before allowing a one-out single in the fifth. Miller also kept Winthrop off the scoreboard until the seventh, when he eventually exited after 6.2 innings, finishing his day with five strikeouts. Winthrop tacked on another run with two outs in the inning, but Werchan threw out a runner at the plate to end the frame.
 
The Quakers blew the doors off in the eighth, when a walk to Courtney and single by Appel put two on with no one out for Hensler, who crushed a three-run shot to center for the final runs of the game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)
Coady and Winthrop starter Tyler Jones matched zeroes on the scoreboard through the first four innings, allowing just three hits combined.
 
In the fifth inning, back-to-back walks to Cole McGonigal and Courtney and a single by Henseler loaded the bases with one out. With Miller at the plate, a wild pitch forced home Henseler for the first run of the game.
 
Coady exited after six shutout innings, allowing just four baserunners while striking out six, stretching his scoreless inning streak to 22.2 innings, dating back to last season.

Appel's fifth hit of the day opened the Penn seventh. After Appel advanced to second on a balk, Larsen singled him home, doubling Penn's lead, a run that proved far more critical in the bottom of the seventh when Winthrop finally scored on a sacrifice fly.
 
That was all Winthrop would get, as Brendan Bean closed out his third save of the season with a strikeout to complete the doubleheader sweep and give Penn the series win.
 
QUAKER NOTEMEAL
*Courtney's triple was the first of the season for the Quakers and the first for Courtney since April 16, 2019 against La Salle.
 
*Miller's 6.2 innings in Game 1 fell just 1/3 short of the longest outing of his career, set last April 10 against Delaware.
 
*Henesler's Game 1 homer gave him seven RBI for the series, matching his total over the first nine games of the season.
 
*Penn's 14 hits in Game 1 marked the team's third straight game with at least a dozen hits, the first such three-game stretch since April 7 – April 12, 2019.

*Coady's six innings of work in Game 2 marked the longest outing of his career.
 
UP NEXT
Penn's home opener will be this Wednesday, March 16, at 3:00 PM against Monmouth University from Meiklejohn Stadium.