March 10, 2009

Final Stats

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Patience is a virtue. Just ask the USC Upstate baseball team.

The Spartans used 12 walks and 12 hits to build an eight-run lead and hold on for an 8-3 win in non-conference action at North Carolina A&T at the War Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday afternoon.

Sophomore Keith Bisgounis (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) and senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) each posted two hits to lead the Spartans while freshman Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) went 1-for-2 with three runs thanks to three walks.

Upstate manufactured a run in the first inning, as sophomore Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) was hit by a pitch with one out. He took second on a wild pitch and scored on an error on the infield. The Spartans extended the lead to 2-0 in the second inning, as Morgan and senior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) each drew two out walks, setting up senior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks), who roped a Texas Leaguer into right field to score Morgan.

The Spartans loaded the bases on three walks in the fourth inning, managing to scratch across a run on a fielder's choice. They didn't post a hit in the inning. Bisgounis and freshman Jeff Medley (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) led off the fifth inning with singles. A sac bunt moved the runners into scoring position and Bisgounis scored on a wild pitch. Medley came home on a single through the left side by Moyer.

Upstate tacked on two more runs in the seventh, as junior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) reached on a walk and stole second. He reached third on a wild pitch as Moyer walked and came in on a line single to right from Morgan. After a walk to Simpson loaded the bases, Guillen hit a sac fly to bring Moyer in.

The Spartans tacked on their eighth run in the ninth inning as Moyer led off with a walk and Morgan followed with a single that moved Moyer to third before Morgan was gunned out on second on a bullet from the right fielder. Freshman Brenden Millhouse (Summerville, S.C./Summerville) followed with a seeing-eye single up the middle to score Moyer.

The Aggies finally broke through with three runs on four hits and a walk in the ninth inning, cutting the lead to five runs before a strikeout and a fly out ended the game.

Senior Dennis McCraney (Catawba, S.C./Rock Hill) (1-0) paced the Spartan pitching staff, starting his first game since his freshman season, pitching four scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out three. Junior Matt Branham (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) followed with a scoreless fifth inning, striking out two and allowing a hit. Sophomore Tim Fournier (Seneca, S.C./Walhalla) added three scoreless frames, allowing just two hits and a walk. He struck out two.

Along the way, the Spartan defense shined, with the Spartans turning two double plays for McCraney and getting a groundball double play from Fournier, as well as a strikeout-throw out double play on a stealing attempt in the sixth inning.

Ruben Torrellas (0-1) took the loss for the Aggies, tossing four innings and allowing four hits and five runs. He walked six and struck out one.

Nick Rogers and C.J. Beatty each had two hits and Lester Rivenbank went 3-for-4 to lead the Aggies.

Upstate will wrap up its midweek road trip on Wednesday as it heads to No. 13 Coastal Carolina for a 4 p.m. game at Charles Watson Stadium. The game will be Upstate's second against a ranked opponent in the DI era, as it fell 14-4 at 10th-ranked South Carolina during the 2008 season.