April 17, 2009

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

Spartanburg, S.C. - USC Upstate improved to a perfect 4-0 on Senior Day as members of the A-Sun as Morgan Childers picked up a win and a save and the Spartans said thank you to seniors Heidi Gibbs, Melissa Lockey and Amber Patterson with a sweep of Jacksonville Friday night in A-Sun softball action at Cyrill Stadium. Upstate won by scores of 4-1 and 8-4.

Upstate improved to 26-13 overall and 9-7 in the A-Sun with the sweep. The sweep put an end to the three-game losing streak the Spartans had endured after losing two to Lipscomb and one at South Carolina. The Spartans improved to 18-3 on the year at Cyrill Stadium, marking the best home record since the stadium opened in 2002. Upstate won 85.7 percent of its games at home this season, topping the 22-4 mark (84.6%) in 2006 for the best home record. The Spartans will end the season next week with road doubleheaders at Appalachian State and A-Sun foes Kennesaw State and Mercer. Jacksonville fell to 21-29 overall and 5-13 in the league.

"Heidi, Amber and Melissa all play very important roles on the team and it was nice to get them a couple of wins on senior day," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "They all played important roles in the wins today, much like they have throughout their careers."

Gibbs had a solid game in game two, finishing with two hits. Her first hit of the game was a double which moved her into sole possession of first place on Upstate's career doubles list with 58.

Childers was solid in the circle for Upstate on the day, going the distance in the first game to earn the win and tossing 2 1/3 innings of relief in the second game to pick up her fourth save of the year and the sixth of her career. She is now tied for second place on Upstate's career saves list with Upstate Athletics Hall of Fame member Kristy Middagh.

In game one, Upstate jumped on top with a run in the first inning when Gibbs scored as Patterson reached on an error. The error would be the first of five committed in the game by Jacksonville.

Jacksonville drew even in the third inning. The Dolphins put runners on second and third with one out when Ashley Mora drove in a run with a single. However, Childers recorded a strikeout and a fly out to end the threat and keep the game tied at 1-1.

After two scoreless innings, Upstate broke the game open with three runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead. Lauren Quevedo walked to lead off the inning and pinch runner Courtney Tate moved over to second on Keri Sarratt's sacrifice bunt. Jenna Torbert hit an infield single in the hole, but the Jacksonville shortstop's throw to second was mishandled by the second baseman which allowed the runners to move to second and third. Janna Lewis followed with an RBI single before Brasil slapped a two-run double to finish the damage in the inning.

Childers allowed back-to-back singles to start the seventh inning, but settled down to force Kelly into a double play and ended the game with a strikeout to take the win. Childers finished the game with 11 strikeouts to improve to 20-8 on the year. Jacksonville starter Ashley Iveson went the distance with six strikeouts to take the loss and fall to 8-10 on the year. Lewis collected two hits to lead the Spartans at the plate, while Melissa Morales and Katy Engler each had two hits for Jacksonville.

In the second game, Upstate scored five runs in the first three innings to set the tone, then closed out the game with three runs over the fifth and sixth innings to take the 8-4 win. The Spartans opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning on Gibbs' RBI double and Patterson's RBI single. Upstate made it a 3-0 game in the second on Brasil's RBI double.

Jacksonville got two runs back in the third inning on Mora's two-run double, but Upstate answered with a pair of runs on a Jacksonville error and Sarratt's RBI single to open a 5-2 lead.

Jacksonville again cut the lead to one, 5-4, with two runs in the fifth inning. Mora collected a sacrifice fly and Alexis Novak hit an RBI double in the inning before Childers entered the game to record the final out of the inning on a pop up.

Upstate increased its lead to 7-4 with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Lewis' drove in a run with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt and Lockey scored from third on a passed ball. The Spartans ended the scoring with a run in the sixth on Crislyn Chewning's sacrifice fly to center.

Childers was dominant in relief in game two. She pitched 2 1/3 innings of perfect ball, striking out two Dolphins along the way to earn the save. Upstate starter Amber Hamilton tossed 4 2/3 innings to pick up the win and improve to 4-4 on the year. Jacksonville starter Sarah Sigrest (11-15) took the loss after allowing five runs in three innings of work.

Brasil finished with three hits in the game to lead Upstate at the plate, while Gibbs and Lewis each had two hits. Kelly and Novak recorded a pair of hits each for Jacksonville.