March 24, 2010

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning helped the USC Upstate baseball team take a one-run lead, but Gardner-Webb answered back with five runs in the remaining three innings to come-from-behind for a 10-6 win on Wednesday night at Harley Park in non-conference action.

Upstate (7-16 overall) retook the lead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to three hits, a walk and a balk. Sophomore Jeff Medley (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) led off with a walk before a fielder's choice. Junior Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) worked a count full before depositing a single into center field. After a balk moved the runners to second and third, freshman Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C./Great Falls) deposited the next pitch into left field to score both runners and tie the game and in a heads up move, Bumgardner never broke stride, sliding into second for a double. After a strikeout, freshman Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path) singled through the left side, scoring Bumgardner.

The Bulldogs (9-11 overall) responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a homer to center by Josh Drewery that tied the game and an RBI single to right center by Ty Boyles. The damage was limited though, as a base hit to center was tracked down by Green, who fired a bullet to retire Boyles trying to reach third.

Gardner-Webb used a walk and three straight two-out hits in the top of the ninth to break open the game with three runs to take the 10-6 lead.

The Spartans took the lead in the fifth inning, scoring a pair of runs thanks to two hits and three Gardner-Webb errors. Bumgardner led off by reaching on an error, stole second and took third on an infield single from senior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge). Greer lined a single up the middle to score Bumgardner and the throw from center field went wild, allowing Greer to go to second, but as the ball careened off the fence, third baseman Kurt Fulginiti alertly picked the ball up and fired it to home to catch Dempsey trying to score on the errant throw. The Spartans did take the lead, though, as Greer scored on an error with two outs.

The Bulldogs responded with three runs in the sixth inning, using three hits and a walk to take a 5-3 lead. Adam McFarland laid down a safety squeeze to give Gardner-Webb the lead and Daniel Merck lined an RBI double to right to highlight the inning.

Both starting pitchers cruised through the first two innings, each stranding a runner in each half inning until Gardner-Webb broke through in the third with a solo homer to center field from Kurt Fulginiti. Upstate responded in the bottom of the inning, as senior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) hit a booming double to right field, took third on a sac bunt and scored on a groundout.

The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning thanks to an RBI double from Boyles that send Dempsey against the wall in right before falling from his mitt.

Watts and Boyles led the Bulldogs with three hits a piece, as Watts scored twice and added an RBI and Boyles posted a doule, a run and three RBI. Merck and Matt Sapp also each added two hits, with Sapp also driving in two.

Upstate was led by a bottom third of the lineup that posted six hits, four runs and two RBI. Green went 2-for-4 with a run and stolen base, Bumgardner added two hits, two runs and two RBI and Dempsey posted two hits and a run. Greer also went 2-for-4 in the leadoff slot, scoring a run and adding two RBI.

Kyle Paeplow (1-0) earned the win with 2/3 innings of relief, allowing a hit and striking out two for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Robert Stegbauer (Hillsboro, Ohio/Lynchburg-Clay) (0-1) allowed three hits and an earned run in an inning to take the loss for Upstate. He struck out one.

Sophomore Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) pitched well in the start, going five innings and allowing four hits, two walks and two runs while striking out seven, one shy of his career high.

The Spartans start a three-game set with Atlantic Sun Conference foe Belmont on Friday at 3 p.m. A doubleheader is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. to wrap up the trip.