Feb. 27, 2010

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After jumping out to a 7-0 lead after four complete, the USC Upstate Baseball team had to hold for the 8-5 victory over the Dayton Flyers (3-3) at Harley Park. It was the first game of the Courtyard by Marriott Baseball Classic for the Spartans.

Upstate (4-2) jumped out to the early lead when Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins) delivered a RBI single to center field. Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path) scored on the play to give the Spartans the 1-0 lead after one complete inning.

The Spartans posted two runs in the bottom of the second to extend the lead to 3-0. Joe Barnes (Lake Orion, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) got the inning started with a double down the right field line. Barnes' advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Trey Richardson. Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla./Trinity Prep) was able to drive Richardson in on a fielder's choice. Richardson slid under the tag at home to score and give the Spartans a 2-0 lead. Liput would score later in the inning on an RBI single by senior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill).

Matt Branham (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) got off to a tremendous start on Saturday afternoon. Branham (1-1) retired the first four batters he faced and thanks to a pair of pickoffs, the senior faced the minimum number of batters over the first three innings. The victory over Dayton, gives Branham 12 for his career and ties him for ninth-most all time with Chris Cranford (1988-90) who had a career record of 12-11.

Upstate, already leading 4-0 pushed the lead to 7-0 with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Trey Richardson scored on Tyler Cook's RBI single. Cook and Andre Harris (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) came in to score when Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C./Great Falls) delivered a two-out two-RBI single.

Dayton starting pitcher Burny Mitchem (0-2) was tagged with the loss after he pitched four innings as seven runs came in to score (six earned) on 11 hits. Mitchem was able to strikeout seven of the 27 batters that he faced. Chris Beesley closed the game for the Flyers as he pitched the final four frames allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts.

In the sixth inning, Dayton cut into the Upstate lead. The Flyers posted four runs to close the gap to three at 7-4. Upstate was plagued by a pair of errors in the inning that allowed the inning to continue. The big play of the inning for Dayton came on a Cole Tyrell two-out two RBI single to right field.

Branham exited the game after 5.2 innings after giving up five hits, four runs (all unearned) while fanning five batters. Chris Knauff (Marietta, Ga./Walton) replaced Branham and pitched 2.1 innings while giving up just two hits.

Trey Richardson scored for the second time in the game on a RBI single by Tyler Cook. The run gave Upstate an 8-4 advantage heading to the ninth.

Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) entered the game on the mound for the Spartans in the top of the ninth. Oliver failed to record an out as the first two batters recorded singles through the left side followed by a walk. With the bases loaded and no outs, Ryan Newell (Marietta, Ga./Marietta) entered the game.

Jimmy Roesinger delivered a sacrifice fly that allowed Dayton to cut the lead to 8-5. Facing a jam with two on and just one out, the freshman Newell picked up his second save of 2010 as he struck out the final two Dayton batters to preserve the 8-5 win.

Tyler Cook, Trey Richardson, Joe Barnes and Jimmy Tanner all had quality days at the plate on Saturday afternoon. Cook finished 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Richardson finished with two hits in four at-bats to go along with two runs and a RBI. Barnes finished with two hits and a run and Tanner tallied three hits and a RBI.

Cole Tyrell led the way for Dayton on Saturday as he went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run.

The Spartans will return to the diamond tomorrow for a doubleheader. Upstate will face NJIT at Harley Park for a 10:00 a.m. first pitch, followed by a match-up with Butler on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.