April 2, 2008

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Freshman Reed Lishen (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach) delivered a two-out, two-strike single through the right side to score two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to provide the difference for the USC Upstate baseball team on Wednesday night at Harley Park, as it posted it's third-straight come-from-behind victory, 5-4, against High Point.

Down 4-2 after the sixth inning, Upstate (16-14 overall) closed within a run before rain caused a one-hour delay. With one out, junior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) reached on a fielder's choice and moved to third on an error that allowed junior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) to reach. Lishen followed with a single to left in front of a diving outfielder to bring in Guillen and move Simpson to third.

The Spartans came back after the rain delay to take the lead in the eighth by scoring two runs. Senior Mike Colecchi (Oxford, Mass./Quinsigmond C.C.) hit an opposite-field double with one out and Guillen drew a walk after being down in the count 1-2. Simpson laid down a sac bunt to move the runners up for Lishen, who delivered a 1-2 sidearm fastball through the right side to score both runners.

The Panthers (8-19 overall) got a runner on via walk in the ninth inning, but sophomore Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) came on to get his third save of the year, as he forced a lineout and the runner was thrown out at second to end the game.

The Panthers drew first blood in the second inning, as Matt Gantner led off the inning with a double, took third on a flyout and scored on a groundout. The Spartans tied the game in the bottom of the frame, as freshman Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) laid down a bunt single with one out and senior Kyle Bowley (Apopka, Fla./Apopka) followed with a double down the left field line. Colecchi delivered an infield single to score Green.

The Spartans took the lead in third as Lishen walked to lead off, stole second with two outs and scored on an error. The Panthers took the lead in the top of the sixth inning as Billy Alvino and Gantner led off the inning with doubles to the outfield gaps, setting up Randy Schwartz, who delivered a homer over the left field fence to give High Point the 4-2 lead.

Lishen led Upstate by going 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs. Both Green and Colecchi added two hits and a run and Bowley and senior Andrew Runion (Simpsonville, S.C./Mauldin) each had two hits for Upstate. Glatner led the Panthers with two hits and two runs and Schwartz added two hits, two runs and the homer.

Junior Dennis McCraney (Catawba, S.C./Rock Hill) (2-3) earned the win in relief for Upstate, pitching 2 1/3 innings, allowing no hits and just a walk. He struck out one. Jeremy Berg (1-2) took the loss for High Point, as he allowed two hits, a walk and two runs in 2 1/3 innings, striking out two.

Upstate will return to play on Friday when it heads to Gardner-Webb for a 3 p.m. Atlantic Sun Conference clash in Boiling Springs, N.C.