Preview: Winthrop Eagles at Sacramento State Hornets

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — The surging Winthrop Eagles will look to continue their strong start to the season when they visit the Sacramento State Hornets for a non-conference matchup Friday at John Smith Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. PDT under clear skies with a forecast temperature of 81 degrees.

The Eagles (15-6) enter on a high note after an 8-2 road victory over Pacific on Tuesday. They have won seven of their last eight games. Sacramento State (8-13) is also coming off a win, having defeated San Francisco 8-3 on Tuesday, but has struggled for consistency this season.

A key matchup will feature Winthrop’s pitching against Sacramento State’s power. Eagles right-hander Mason Tompkins is a player to watch following a dominant stretch. In his last start on March 17, he threw five hitless, scoreless innings with two strikeouts against Pacific. On March 11, he allowed just one hit over eight scoreless frames with seven strikeouts in an 11-0 win over Princeton.

The Hornets will counter with a hot bat in outfielder Erick Dessens. He is riding a six-game hitting streak and has been a major run producer, driving in 10 runs over his last three games alone. In the March 17 win at San Francisco, Dessens went 2 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs.

This is the second game of a brief series. The Hornets won the opener 1-0 on Thursday.

Statistical projections offer a split decision. The Interstat game simulator predicts a 6-4 Winthrop victory, while the same service’s ELO rating system gives Sacramento State a slight edge with a 54.9% probability to win.

Following Friday’s contest, the teams will meet again Saturday before embarking on their respective schedules. Winthrop returns home to face Davidson next Tuesday, while Sacramento State begins a road trip at Kansas.