University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Presbyterian
Spartans Use Early Runs To Down Blue Hose, 9-2
5/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 7, 2008
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Seven runs in the first three innings were more than enough thanks to a solid pitching performance from junior Phillip Myers (Louisville, Ky./Seminole C.C.) and four relievers as the USC Upstate baseball team returned to the field after 10 days off with a 9-2 win over Presbyterian in non-conference action on Wednesday night at Harley Park.
Myers (2-1) posted the first quality start of his career, as he tossed six innings, allowing seven hits and two runs. He walked two and struck out a career-high seven during the game, using devastating breaking stuff to keep the Blue Hose off-balance.
The Spartan bullpen also added three shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out one in that time. Juniors Bret Elliott (Lancaster, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) and Dennis McCraney (Catawba, S.C./Rock Hill) each tossed scoreless innings.
Presbyterian (12-35 overall) broke through with a run in the first, using a single, a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly produced a 1-0 lead. Upstate (22-25 overall) fired back, though, with four of its own runs in the bottom of the inning. Both junior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) and sophomore Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Stars Mill) led off the inning with walks and senior Andrew Runion (Simpsonville, S.C./Mauldin) followed with a bunt single to load the bases. A sac fly scored a run before junior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) delivered a single up the middle to plate two runs. After a fielder's choice, freshman Keith Bisgounis (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) delivered a rocket RBI double to the left-center field gap.
The Spartans grabbed three more runs in the third inning, as sophomore Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) walked to start a two-out rally. Bisgounis followed with a single up the middle and freshman Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) hit a double to left center to score Dempsey. Freshman A.J. Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Springs Christian) followed with a single up the middle to score both Green and Bisgounis.
The Blue Hose drew within five runs in the fourth inning as Zac Rhinesmith hit a homer to left. After that, the Upstate pitching staff was able to shut down the Blue Hose despite not getting through an inning 1-2-3 during the game.
Upstate scored its final two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Dempsey led off with a walk and Bisgounis followed with an opposite-field double. After a strikeout, Clark walked to load the bases. A passed ball helped Dempsey score and an error pushed Bisgounis across.
Bisgounis led the Spartans with a 3-for-4 night, adding two runs, two doubles to take the team lead with 10, and an RBI. Tanner and Runion each added two hits and an RBI and Dempsey scored three times despite not getting a hit, walking twice and reaching on a fielder's choice.
Cory Lyda led Presbyterian, going 4-for-5 with a run. Rhinesmith added three hits and Craven also posted two. Jim Wagers (0-2) took the loss for the Blue Hose, allowing six hits and seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. The southpaw walked three.
Upstate will get a 10-day break for the end-of-semester finals before retaking the field on Wednesday, May 7 when Presbyterian visits Harley Park for a 6 p.m. showdown.
