March 9, 2010

Final Stats

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The USC Upstate baseball team took a 3-1 lead after three and a half innings, but Charleston Southern scored the next seven runs to take control and go on to an 8-4 win on Tuesday afternoon at Buccaneer Ballpark.

The two teams cruised through the first two innings before Upstate (7-6 overall) broke through first in the top of the third. Sophomore Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla./Trinity Prep) posted a two-out double to right center and freshman Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path) followed with a shot off the left-center field wall.

The Buccaneers (5-7 overall) tied the game in the bottom of the inning thanks to two hits and a hit batter before the Spartans scored two in the top of the fourth, with freshman Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins) starting the rally with a walk. Sophomore Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) followed with a single and junior Joe Barnes (Lake Orion, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) blooped in a single in short right to score a run. A sac fly scored Moyer.

Charleston Southern took control from there, as Derek Smith lifted a two-run homer to center to tie the game in the bottom of the third. In the fourth, Nick Chinners drove a double down the line to score a run and in the sixth, Tom Burkett homered to make it 5-3. In the seventh, Matt Still and Smith hit back-to-back homers to give the Bucs a four-run lead.

Upstate nearly tied the game in the eighth, as Greer was hit by a pitch to lead off and senior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) and Richardson each singled to load the bases with one out. Moyer lifted a deep fly to center that was hauled in by Brantley Meier with his hands on the fence. Greer scored on the play to cut the Bucs' lead to 7-4, but that was as close as Upstate could get. The Bucs scored their final run in the eighth on a single and an error.

Greer led Upstate with a run, a double, a RBI and a hit by pitch and Moyer added a run, a hit, a walk and a RBI as eight Spartans pitched in with their eight hits.

The Bucs were led by two homers and three RBI from Smith and three hits, two runs and a homer from Matt Still. Meier and Chinners each also added two hits.

Freshman Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C./Great Falls) (0-2) took the loss for Upstate, tossing 4 2/3 innings and allowing four runs and eight hits. He struck out six and walked none.

Jesse Cadenhead (1-2) earned the win for the Bucs, entering in relief in the fourth and tossing the final six innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs. He walked one and struck out four.

The Spartans wrap up the trip to Charleston, S.C., on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. game at The Citadel.