Winthrop pounded 13 hits and Daniel Carte drove in three runs to lead the visiting Eagles to a 9-3 victory over High Point Saturday afternoon in the opener of a three-game Big South series at Erath Field.

Kevin Slowey (11-1) allowed three earned runs in seven innings of work to earn the win for WU, while Ricky Hudson (1-1) took the loss for the Panthers.

Winthrop's (33-14, 14-2 Big South) first two runs came from sacrifice flies which allowed Chris Carrara and Kyle Roberson to score.

HPU (18-27, 6-13) got on the board in the fourth when Bobby Brown hit a solo home run (third of the season) to bring the Panthers within one, 2-1.

Winthrop broke the game open in the fifth. Carrara drew a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball, then to third on a balk by pitcher Nick Thompson. Heath Rollins doubled home Carrara for a 3-1 Eagle lead. Daniel Carte launched his 12th homer of the season over the left field wall to give WU a 5-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

In the sixth, WU scored again off another sacrifice fly, but the Panthers added two more runs to cut the deficit to 6-3 when Mark Shorey singled to right field and Josh Cotten hit his eighth homer of the season.

But Winthrop put the game out of reach with three more runs (one in the eighth and two in the ninth).

Cotten, Brown, and Jerry Campos each had two hits for the Panthers.

The teams play again Sunday at 1:00 pm. Brandon Moore will start for High Point against WU's Rollins. Before play on Sunday, High Point will honor six seniors: Cotten, Bob Helman, Matt Kniginyzky, Jeremy Neyra, Chris Ramirez, and Seby Renta.