March 4, 2009

Final Stats

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - After what can only be termed an uncharacteristic four inches of snow fell on Sunday night after a prodigious rain washed away two of the USC Upstate baseball team's games last weekend, it was nice just to stand on a field with no snow on Wednesday, as the Spartans headed North to Tennessee for a game at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Spartans made Wednesday more memorable than just playing a game after leaving their Spartanburg campus behind with snow still melting away, as a one-out RBI double from junior Jimmy Tanner in the top of the ninth inning lifted them to a 1-0 stunner over the Vols.

"I'm very pleased with our performance," Upstate head coach Matt Fincher said. "I thought our pitchers competed very well. We're hopeful that that is the kind of win that lets us know that we are a competitive team and that it can help move the program forward."

The Upstate offense, held to just four hits heading into the ninth, finally got some momentum in the top of the ninth, as sophomore Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) delivered a single off a diving center fielder's glove. After a strikeout, Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) took a 1-2 offering and delivered a liner into the left-center field gap, easily scoring Green.

The Vols (2-5 overall) immediately got a rally started in the ninth thanks to a leadoff walk and then a Spartan throwing error put two on with no outs. However, junior Barrett Stover (Durham, N.C./Lenoir C.C.) settled the Vols' bats and quell the rally, getting two strikes on a Vols' batter that was trying to bunt. He then got an opposite field fly out and was able to retire the next batter on a pop out to short. The last batter grounded to third and freshman Jeff Medley (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) beat the Vols' runner to third for the force out.

For Upstate (3-4 overall), it was their first win over a power conference school in the DI era and it was their first win over an SEC school since a 7-4 win over the Vols on April 14, 1987.

Upstate's pitching held the day, as seven pitchers combined to allow just four hits (a DI-era low) while walking four and striking out four. Only two Vols reached third base.

The Spartans, using a pre-set rotation, saw a scoreless first frame from freshman Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford), who got out of a bases loaded jam with a liner to the shortstop. He walked one. Freshman Ryan Fern (Oviedo, Fla./Winter Springs) tossed a one-two-three second frame, striking out one, extending his career-starting scoreless innings streak to 8 1/3.

Sophomore Tim Fournier (Seneca, S.C./Walhalla) pitched into trouble in the third inning, allowing runners to reach second and third after a balk, but got out of the jam with a strikeout. In his second inning, Fournier wasted little time, throwing six pitches to get three outs.

Senior Phillip Myers (Louisville, Ky./Seminole C.C.) pitched well in his two scoreless innings, facing the minimum six batters and throwing just 19 pitches, striking out one and allowing one hit. He extended his season-opening scoreless innings streak to 8 2/3.

Junior Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) added a scoreless seventh, allowing a hit, striking out one and tossing 13 pitches. Junior Teddy Fallon (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Boston College) got out of a jam in the eighth inning, as he got an unconventional double play. With runners on first and second and one out, a liner looked to be headed to the gap, sending the Vols runners in motion. When freshman Tyler Cook (Bloomington, Ill./University) hauled in the catch, he got the ball back in and Upstate was able to easily pick off the runner on second, who hadn't yet gotten back to third base. Fallon (1-1) picked up his second win as a Spartan for his scoreless inning.

Stover picked up his first save as a Spartan for his scoreless ninth, as he faced just four batters and threw just 12 pitches.

Ty'Relle Harris (0-1) took the hard-luck loss for the Vols, as he pitched the final six innings, allowing four hits and the lone run. He struck out seven and walked none.

Tanner and Green led all offensive performers in the game, as each finished with two hits. Green had the lone run and Tanner the lone RBI. Senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) added a double.

USC Upstate returns home on Friday when it opens its Atlantic Sun Conference season with a three-game set against Belmont, with first pitch set for 4 p.m. A doubleheader is set for Saturday at 1 p.m.