April 22, 2009

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) went 2-for-4 and both seniors Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) and Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) scored two runs, but the USC Upstate baseball team fell victim to 10 unanswered Charlotte runs on Tuesday night in non-conference action at Harley Park, as Charlotte posted a 17-7 win.

Down by five runs in the third inning, Upstate (10-30 overall) started to climb back in the game by scoring two runs to make it 7-4. Junior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) singled with one out and Morgan followed with a double down the left field line. Senior Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) added a single through the right side to score two runs.

The Spartans tied the game in the fourth inning thanks to three runs, as junior Ryan Wilkins (Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) singled to right center to lead off. A groundout moved him to second where he scored on a double down the line by Simpson. Guillen followed with a bunt single and Simpson scored on a throwing error on the play. Tanner followed with a walk and Morgan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a strikeout, sophomore Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) drove Guillen in by walking to tie the score at seven.

The 49ers (23-15 overall) took control from there, scoring 10 straight runs, starting with a grand slam by Cory Tilton to take the lead for good and give them an 11-7 lead in the fifth inning. Two more runs followed on two hits in the sixth and a single tally crossed in the seventh. Three more runs gave Charlotte a 17-7 lead in the eighth.

Charlotte scored three runs in the first inning, using three hits and a triple from Cory Tilton to do the damage. Upstate pulled within a run in the bottom of the inning by scoring twice. Simpson led off with a walk and a three-base throwing error helped Guillen reach and sent Simpson in. A groundout scored Guillen. Upstate also loaded the bases in the inning, but a groundout double play ended the inning.

The 49ers added three more runs in the second inning on three hits in the second inning, using three hits and an error to score the runs. Another run in the third gave Charlotte a 7-2 lead.

The Spartans were led by Morgan, who went 2-for-4 with a run, while Simpson scored two runs, reaching on a hit, a walk and he also added an RBI. Guillen scored twice, reaching on a hit and an error. Moyer posted two RBI.

Both Morgan and Tanner had hits in the game to extend their hitting streaks, with Morgan's now at 11 games, a career-high, bettering his previous-high of nine games, and Tanner's at 12, one shy of his career-high.

Tilton led the 49ers with a 5-for-6 game with four runs and five RBI, falling a double short of the cycle, while Alan Parks went 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBI. Shane Brown added a 3-for-4 effort with three runs and two RBI. Zach Williams also went 3-for-5 with a run, falling a homer short of the cycle.

Tyler Pilkington (3-0) earned the win in relief for the 49ers, pitching 3 2/3 innings, allowing a hit, two walks and striking out five. Freshman Adam Waters (Denver, N.C./Hopewell) (1-1) took the loss for Upstate, allowing six hits and five runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Upstate next heads to the furthest point South in school history to start a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference set with Florida Gulf Coast University, starting on Friday at 6 p.m.