March 21, 2009

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The USC Upstate baseball team loaded the bases in the bottom of the tenth inning with two outs, but a fielder's choice got Mercer out of the inning and lifted it to a 12-11 extra-innings win at Harley Park on Saturday afternoon in Atlantic Sun Conference action.

The Bears (6-9 overall, 2-3 A-Sun) got the winning run across in the top of the 10th, as Thomas Carroll singled through the right side and scored on a double over the left fielder's head by Casey Stuart. After an error moved Stuart to third, the Spartans got a strikeout and fly out to get out of the inning.

Upstate got in good position in the 10th as junior Ryan Wilkins (Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) led off with a walk and reached second on an error when he was caught trying to steal. Freshman Branden Millhouse (Summerville, S.C./Summerville) was hit by a pitch, but the next batter struck out trying to bunt with two strikes and a flyout left Upstate down to its final out. Freshman Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla./Trinity Prep) drew a walk to laod the bases, but a grounder to shortstop ended the game.

Down 11-10 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Spartans got a spark from Liput, who walked on five pitches to lead off. He took second on a grounder to second base, being able to get in position where the only play was to first base. After a strikeout, he hustled around to score on a single by freshman Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford), who delivered a rocket past the shortstop to tie the game.

The Bears scored three runs in the top of the ninth, thanks to a leadoff double from Casey Stuart and a walk by Charlie Karwatt. After a fielder's choice, a double by Nick DiMauro brought in Stuart and closed the gap to one run. Michael Langley brought in both Karwatt and DiMauro with a single into left field.

Three unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning helped USC Upstate take a one-run lead, helping the Spartan offense gain momentum to score five more in the third inning. Freshman Tyler Cook (Bloomington, Ill./University) reached on a passed ball after striking out and Millhouse was hit by a pitch to start the inning. After a sac bunt, senior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) reached on an error by the shortstop, scoring Cook. Another sac bunt moved runners back to second and third and junior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) hit an opposite-field single through the right side to plate two runs.

Upstate kept the bats warm as Cook started another rally in the third with a single to right field and Millhouse reached on a slow-rolling fielder's choice to third that didn't yield an out. Senior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) followed with a line-drive single up the middle on a full count to score Cook. Guillen followed with the first homer of his 154-game career, a towering shot over the left field fence. Freshman Adam Waters (Denver, N.C./Hopewell) followed by walking on four pitches, advancing to second on a stolen base, third on a wild pitch and scoring on an infield single from junior Jacob Breen (Marietta, Ga./Birmingham Southern).

The Bears wouldn't go quietly, though, scoring three runs on two hits and two walks in the top of the fourth, capped by a two-run double by Jacob Tanis, making the score, 9-6. Two more runs crossed in the fifth inning thanks to four hits, but two runners were left stranded to help the Spartans keep the slim one-run lead.

Upstate got an insurance run in the bottom of the eight, as junior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) doubled to deep right field with one out and came around to score when an infield single by Millhouse rolled into the outfield.

The Bears took a two-run lead nearly as soon as the game began thanks to three straight hits at the top of the lineup, as Nick DiMauro doubled, Michael Langley tripled and Tyler McCarty singled, all to right field. Upstate cut the lead to a run in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally as Tanner and senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) hit opposite field singles and Breen singled past a diving second baseman to score Tanner.

The Bears took advantage of a Spartan error and a double by Sean Olenek to score an unearned run in the second, making the score, 3-1.

Guillen led the Spartans with a 2-for-7 game, adding two runs, hit first career homer and a career-high four RBI. Tanner finished 2-for-6 with a run and two RBI, Breen went 2-for-4 with two RBI, Dempsey went 2-for-6 with a run and Simpson went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI.

The top three hitters in Mercer's lineup went 10-for-18 with nine RBI, as DiMauro went 3-for-6 with two run and two RBIs, Langley went 3-for-6 with a run and four RBs and McCarty went 4-for-6 with a run and three RBI. Stuart also had three hits.

Junior Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) (0-2) took the loss, going 1 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and a run while striking out two.

Mercer's Blake Mainor (1-0) took the win, tossing 1 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and a run. He walked two and struck out two. John Hoelzer earned his first save, tossing an inning, walking one and striking out one.

Upstate will get back in action on Sunday at Harley Park with the final game of the three-game set with Mercer. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Jason Smith '04 is set to throw out the first pitch as part of Upstate's season-long Alumni First Pitch Calendar.