April 8, 2009

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) hit his second career homer, a grand slam in an eight-run fifth inning, leading the USC Upstate baseball team to a 16-6 win over I-26 rival Presbyterian on Wednesday night at Harley Park.

The grand slam is the Spartans' first since March 31, 2007, when Bret Hanson connected for a four-bagger against Georgia College & State University and is the first of the DI era.

Upstate (8-23 overall) fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, as the Blue Hose (5-24 overall) scored twice thanks to three walks and two singles. However, Upstate got four runs in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again, as the first three batters of the game walked to load the bases before back-to-back balk calls tied the game. Senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) followed with an RBI double down the left field line to give Upstate the lead and freshman Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) singled through the right side to score Morgan and put Upstate up, 4-2.

The Blue Hose got a run back in the top of the second inning, but Upstate rallied with two runs in the bottom of the inning, as senior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) was hit by a pitch to lead off. After a fly out and a wild pitch, junior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) walked and Morgan followed with another double, this time to the left-center field gap for two runs.

A Jared Combs homer brought Presbyterian within two runs at 6-4 in the third and a Combs double combined with a single from Zac Rhinesmith made it a one-run game in the top of the fifth.

However, Upstate broke open the game in the bottom of the inning, as Moyer led off with a single to right field and pinch hitter junior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) drew a walk. Junior Ryan Wilkins (Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) then laid a bunt down and beat the throw for a hit to load the bases and freshman Jeff Medley (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) drove a run in by getting hit by a pitch. Freshman Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla./Trinity Prep) delivered with a line single into center field. Simpson followed by dumping a pitch into right for another RBI single, setting up Guillen, who blasted a pitch over the fence in right center.

The Spartans' offense kept rolling after the grand slam, as Tanner walked. After a flyout for the first out of the inning, Moyer singled through the right side. After a strikeout, Wilkins singled over a leaping shortstop's glove to score Tanner, giving Upstate a 14-5 lead.

The Spartans added two more in the seventh inning, as Tanner led off with a double down the left field line. After a pop out, Tanner took third on a wild pitch and Moyer walked, setting up Dempsey, who singled over a leaping third baseman for an RBI. After a strikeout, Medley singled into center field to bring in Moyer, giving Upstate a 16-5 lead.

Meanwhile, freshman middle reliever Adam Waters (Denver, N.C./Hopewell) (1-0) held the Blue Hose down, tossing three scoreless frames in his five-inning stint on the hill, allowing just six hits and single runs in the fifth and eighth innings. He struck out three, helping him earn his first collegiate win. Joe Hammond (0-3) took the loss for Presbyterian, allowing three earned runs in the first inning.

Senior Phillip Myers (Louisville, Ky./Seminole C.C.) closed the door on the Blue Hose in the ninth, striking out one in relief of Waters, who allowed the single tally in the eighth to make it 16-6.

Simpson finished with three runs and Guillen added two runs and four RBI at the top of the lineup for Upstate. Tanner scored four times thanks to three walks and a hit and Morgan went 2-for-5 with three RBI and two doubles. Moyer went 3-for-4 with two runs and both Wilkins and Medley also added two hits for Upstate, who scored a season-high 16 runs in the game.

Mack Hite and Jared Combs led the Blue Hose with two hits a piece. Combs added two runs and Cory Lyda had two RBI.

The Spartans will now get set for a three-game set at Atlantic Sun Conference foe and former Peach Belt rival Kennesaw State, with first pitch set for Friday at 6 p.m.