University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Stetson
Jetting Into Stetson
5/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 9, 2008
Live Audio & Streaming (Stetson) | Complete Stetson Game Notes in PDF Format 
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - In what could be defined as a tail of polar opposites, the USC Upstate baseball team will head to Stetson this weekend for a three-game series. In an ironic twist of fate, fifth-place Upstate, which was predicted to finish last in both the A-Sun Preseason Coaches' Poll and in Baseball America's preseason rankings will meet 10th-place Stetson, who was predicted to win the conference in both polls. While the Spartans will look to create more distance between themselves and the preseason favorite, the Hatters will be looking to hang on to one of the six slots available for the A-Sun playoffs.
In the first meeting between the two teams, another set of opposites will come into play, as Upstate's team, which focuses on solid pitching during the weekends, will come face-to-face with three of the top 10 hitters in the A-Sun in Stetson's lineup.
Bowley Added To Clemens Award Watch List
Senior Kyle Bowley has been added to the Roger Clemens Award Watch List, the National Collegiate Writers Baseball Association has announced on the award's Web site. The Clemens Award is given to the top collegiate pitcher in the nation and Bowley is one of five players in the Atlantic Sun Conference on the Watch List. Bowley is one of 114 pitchers on the Watch List and is one of just five from the Atlantic Sun Conference along with FGCU's Richard Bleier, Lipscomb's Brandon McClurg, Belmont's Chris Manning and Stetson's Robbie Elsemiller. Coastal Carolina's Bobby Gagg and Joey Haug and Clemson's D.J. Mitchell and Matt Vaughn are the only other players from South Carolina.
Eckard Turning It Around
Senior Scott Eckard has started to turn his season around after giving up seven runs and eight hits in a one-inning loss to Kennesaw State on April 12. Given just three days off, Eckard tossed two innings, allowing a run and striking out two against No. 15 South Carolina. He then tossed 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs in a no-decision against Lipscomb on April 19 and got a hard-luck loss in a complete-game 4-1 loss to Belmont on April 26. He has a 4.40 ERA in his last three starts, striking out 11 in that time.
Bisgounis' Bat Heats Up
Freshman Keith Bisgounis has been red hot since the month of April, as the Spartan outfielder has posted a 16-for-41 (.390) with eight runs and nine RBIs in the last 11 games. The hot streak has lifted his average to a season-high .283 after he started the season in a 1-for-25 slump. Since then, though, the outfielder has been one of the most consistent hitters in the Spartan lineup, going hitless in just seven of 29 games and hitting .343 (35-for-102).
Freshmen On The List
Freshmen Blake Green and Keith Bisgounis have each made a significant impact on the Spartan outfield this season, securing starting slots in the lineup for a majority of the season. Now, they are beginning to leave their mark on the Spartans' rookie record book. Green is one of just 11 freshmen in school history to post 40 hits in a season and he is just two safeties away from eighth place in the record book. Bisgounis has left his mark by driving in runners, as he is currently eighth among Upstate freshmen with 22 RBIs.
Tanning The Rawhide
Sophomore Jimmy Tanner has become one of Upstate's most reliable offensive producers this season, after struggling out of the gate. After going 9-for-42 in his first 11 games, the Spartan catcher has hit .368 (50-for-136) with 24 runs in 21 RBIs in the last 35 games. In the process, he has moved to the top of the lineup and has risen to second on the Spartans with a .331 average.
Home Run Runion
Senior Andrew Runion hit his ninth homer of the season in the ninth inning of the Spartans' 10-7 loss to Presbyterian on May 7. The Mauldin High product has hit as many homers this season (9) as he had in his first three years in an Upstate uniform. Making his power numbers even more impressive, Runion is just one homer shy of becoming the first Spartan to hit 10 homers in a season since Callhan Morden hit 11 in 1999.
Myers Mowing `Em Down
Junior Phillip Myers has started into his role as the team's fourth starter and weekend left-handed relieving specialist, having posted a 2.95 ERA in his last eight outings. Myers has tossed 21.1 innings in six relief appearances and two starts, posting a 2-0 record. He has struck out 16 and walked six. He earned his first win in an Upstate uniform with 2 2/3 innings of one-relief against Lipscomb on April 19 to shut down the Bison at the end of the game. He won his first game as a starter on May 7, as he went six innings, striking out a career-high seven and allowing two runs as Upstate downed Presbyterian, 9-2.
