Spartans Go 4-0 at Winthrop Fall Tournament
10/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Oct. 7, 2007
SPARTANBURG - The USC Upstate softball team went 4-0 over the weekend at the Winthrop Fall Tournament to finish the fall undefeated in three tournaments. The Spartans claimed wins over Brampton (Ontario) and USC Sumter Saturday and Lenoir-Rhyne and Winthrop Sunday. Upstate finished the fall with a 13-0 record.
In the tourney opener, Upstate got strong performances at the plate from Shay Slater and Lauren Quevedo. Slater finished 3-for-3 with two stolen bases and Quevedo went 2-for-2 with a home run. The Spartans stole five bases and pounded out 11 hits in the 12-4 victory over the Blazers. Kayla Short and Brittany Rice pitched for Upstate with Short taking the win.
Kim Brasil and Ana Mitchell led the Spartans in the second game of the day Saturday as Upstate took an 11-0 victory over USC Sumter. Brasil was 2-for-2 and Mitchell was 2-for-3 at the plate for the Spartans. Rice went four innings for the Spartans to get credit for the win before giving way to Amber Patterson in the fifth inning.
Sunday saw Upstate take on former Division II rival Lenoir-Rhyne to start the day. Short started the game before giving way to Rice who tossed the last three innings to pick up the 4-2 win over the Bears. Vanesa Flores connected on a bases loaded three-run double to secure the win for the Spartans, Slater picked up two hits and Quevedo slapped a double in the victory.
In the tournament finale, Upstate fell behind 2-0 to host Winthrop before rallying for a 7-4 win. The Spartans pounded out 13 hits against the Eagles who advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament and won 50 games last year. Brasil led the way finishing 4-for-5. Quevedo, Patterson and Courtney Feldon, who connected on a home run, each collected two hits for the Spartans.
Rice started the Winthrop game before giving way to Short and Patterson before reentering the contest in the seventh. Rice picked up her third win of the weekend. Rice and Short saw plenty of action during the weekend as the Spartans other starting pitcher, Morgan Childers, missed the tournament after suffering a broken nose during last week's tournament at Upstate.
Overall, Upstate pounded out 39 hits in 25 innings, resulting in 34 runs in the tournament. The Spartans connected on two home runs and six doubles while stealing 13 bases. Upstate's defense was again stout as the Spartans committed just one error.
"We still have a lot of work to do heading into the spring," said head coach Chris Hawkins, now in his 14th year at the helm of the Upstate softball program. "We have a lot of depth on this team and I see the battles for starting positions continuing into the season. It was a good opportunity for our eight freshmen to learn our structure and signs. We are going to continue to work to get better as we head towards the season and look forward to having Morgan (Childers) back in the spring."
