University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Charlotte
49ers Come-From-Behind To Down Spartans, 7-3
2/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2008
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Junior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) paced the USC Upstate baseball team with two hits, two runs and an RBI, but Charlotte was able to come-from-behind with a four-run fifth inning en route to a 7-3 win at Harley Park on Wednesday afternoon.
The Spartans (2-3) jumped out to a 2-0 lead with single tallies in each of the first two innings. In the first inning, Simpson led the game off with a single through the right side and junior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) laid down a perfect bunt that hit the third base bag to put runners at first and second. A fielder's choice moved Simpson to third where he scored after an error. In the second, junior Tommy Shovlin (Merritt Island, Fla./Daytona Beach C.C.) drew a one-out walk. He took second on a groundout and scored on an RBI single from Simpson.
Charlotte (4-1) got back onto the scoreboard in the fifth inning, when they combined four hits and an error to score four runs, with a double from Rob Lyerly setting up a two-RBI single from Cory Tilton to give the 49ers a 4-2 lead.
Upstate drew within one run in the seventh inning, as Simpson reached on an error to leadoff and took second on a passed ball. A groundout moved him to third with two outs, where he scored when junior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) delivered a single through the left side, making it 4-3.
Charlotte scored a run in the eighth inning, thanks to a walk, an error, a bunt base hit and a sacrifice fly by Shayne Moody. The 49ers added the final two runs in the ninth inning, as Chris Taylor led off with a single and Rob Lyerly followed with a walk. After a bunt forced the runner at third and a strikeout, Alex Burt delivered a double over the center fielder's head for two RBIs.
Simpson was the lone Spartan with more than one hit, but Morgan added a hit and an RBI. Moody led the 49ers with a 3-for-3 day that featured a run and an RBI and Aaron Bray, Tilton and Burt each added two of the 49ers 12 hits.
Joe Yermal earned his first career win for the 49ers, as the 2007 Baltimore Orioles draft pick pitched five innings, allowing six hits, two runs, one earned, and one walk. He struck out two. Bryan Hamilton picked up his first save of the year with two innings of perfect relief, striking out three.
Freshman Robert Stegbauer (Hillsboro, Ohio/Lynchburg-Clay) (0-1) was charged with the hard-luck loss as he pitched four scoreless frames before allowing four runs in the fifth. He gave up nine hits and walked one while striking out two in five innings of work.
Upstate will open up its Atlantic Sun Conference season on Saturday, when it heads to East Tennessee State for a 1 p.m. doubleheader start on Saturday.
