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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Spartans continue an eight-game homestand to open the season as they welcome Presbyterian College, Dayton and Butler to Harley Park as part of the 2011 Courtyard by Marriott Baseball Classic.

Upstate (3-2) opens the weekend with PC (4-0) on Friday at 4:00 p.m.  Upstate leads the all-time series 15-14, including a 10-4 margin in Spartanburg.

Dayton (1-3) and Butler (0-0) will pay a visit to Harley Park for the second consecutive season.  Last season, Upstate downed Dayton, 8-5, on Feb. 27, 2010 at Harley Park and shutout Butler, 10-0, a day later.

First Pitch…

• Against North Carolina A&T, Tyler Miller was 3-for-5 at the plate, including a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning...  Miller tallied five RBI and scored two runs against the Aggies.

• Andrew Wyant and Ryan Fern were the only two Upstate pitchers used on Wednesday against N.C. A&T... Wyant got the start and allowed five runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of work... Wyant picked up his first win of 2011... Fern pitched the final 3.1 innings allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and earned his first save of the season.

• On Wednesday, Luke Weber became the first Spartan since Tyler Cook (May 12, 2010 vs. The Citadel) to tally two extra base hits in a game... Weber had a pair of doubles in Upstate's 12-7 win over North Carolina A&T.

• Philip Brannon picked up his first win of 2011 as the Spartans downed Iona on Sunday... Brannon scattered five hits and allowed zero runs in the 9-5 win.

• Scott DeCecco was the opening day starter and the sophomore didn't disappoint... The southpaw struck out six Patriot batters while allowing just two runs as he pitched five complete innings, earning his first victory of 2011.

• Ryan Newell pitched the final four innings against George Mason and was credited with a save after giving up just three hits and two runs.

• Against George Mason, the Spartans did something they hadn't done since the '09 campaign, score eight runs in an inning... Upstate chased George Mason starter Chris O'Grady as the sophomore allowed eight runs (six earned) on eight hits in just 2/3 of an inning... Upstate totaled 16 runs on 17 hits and batters 4-9 accounted for 14 of the 17 Spartan hits.... The last time Upstate scored eight runs in a single inning was on May 5, 2009 against Wofford (Harley Park, W, 13-2).

The Scouting Report (Presbyterian / Dayton / Butler)

• Presbyterian enters the weekend 4-0 overall after a series sweep of Navy last weekend and a mid-week win over Davidson... Kenny Bryant and Tony Micklon lead the team with a .471 batting average... Friday's starter Buck Mosteller (Jr., RHP, 1-0) owns a 4.76 ERA and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of work.

• Dayton is 1-3 with its lone victory coming over Lipscomb (W, 8-3, Feb. 18)... Michael Hauschild tossed a complete game against the Bisons (8H, 3R (2ER), 1BB, 8K)... The Flyers have just one batter hitting above .300, Robby Sunderman (.375; 3-for-8).

• Butler opens its 2011 campaign this weekend... The Bulldogs finished 2010 with a 21-29 record overall and were 11-13 in Horizon League play.