April 2, 2010

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

Spartanburg, S.C. - Morgan Childers struck out nine and tossed a complete game shutout to tie the USC Upstate all-time record for wins and the Spartans opened up the flood gates offensively in game two as the Spartans took a sweep of A-Sun foe Florida Gulf Coast Friday evening at Cyrill Stadium. Upstate won game one, 3-0, and game two, 11-0 in five innings.

Childers went the distance in game one, striking out nine and scattering three hits to record win number 69 in her career. She is now tied for the all-time record with Upstate Athletics Hall of Fame member Krtisy Middagh. She also moved into sole possession of fourth place all-time in the A-Sun and is now 19-3 on the year.

Upstate improved to 23-6 overall and 4-2 in the A-Sun with the sweep of the Eagles. The Spartans play host to Stetson tomorrow afternoon at 4:00. FGCU fell to 15-23 overall and 4-4 in the A-Sun. The Eagles travel to East Tennessee State for a doubleheader tomorrow.

"I was really impressed with our team today," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "I thought Morgan and Amber (Hamilton) did extremely well today to lead us on the mound. We took advantage of our opportunities in the first game and then really got our bats going in the second game. FGCU is a good team. Being able to sweep them was really big and a great way to start off the weekend. But, we have to turn our attention to a Stetson team that is also very strong. It will be a battle again tomorrow."

Childers was strong in the first game, not allowing a runner to move past second and only allowing three runners to reach second. She struck out at least two batters in three innings. She lowered her league-leading ERA to 0.57, which also ranks second in the nation.

Upstate benefitted from FGCU miscues in the first inning to open a 3-0 lead. Ericka Harris singled with two outs and Katie Zauner followed with a single to put runners at first and second. Cheyanna Ohlrich reached on a fielding error by FGCU shortstop Jessica Gary as Harris scored on the play. Lauren Quevedo walked to load the bases and Monica Hall knocked a two-run double to right center to give the Spartans a 3-0 lead. All three runs were unearned.

Childers took it from there, never allowing FGCU to get anything going in the game. FGCU starter Catherine McDaniel went the distance and took the loss for the Eagles, falling to 7-11 on the year. Lauran Ziegler led FGCU at the plate with a pair of hits.

Amber Hamilton tossed her second straight four-hit shutout to earn the win for the Spartans in the second game. She went the distance, striking out five to improve to 3-2 on the year. She also tossed a four-hit shutout in game two of the sweep at Gardner-Webb on Tuesday and was solid at Lipscomb last Saturday.

Upstate's bats caught fire in game two as well. The Spartans scored 11 runs on 13 hits and two FGCU errors in the game. The 11 runs was the most given up by FGCU this year since allowing 10 runs against No. 7 Georgia Tech. Upstate scored runs in each of the four innings and ended the game on the eight-run rule in the fifth.

Upstate jumped on top in the first inning when Zauner singled to drive in Crislyn Chewning. The Spartans added to the lead with three runs in the second. Brasil collected a two-run double and scored on Chewning's single up the middle.

Upstate made it a 6-0 game when Quevedo cranked out a two-run home run to left field. It was her second homer in as many games, knocking a long ball at Gardner-Webb on Tuesday. The Spartans ended the game with five runs in the fourth to open an 11-0 lead.

Zauner collected her second RBI single of the game and Chewning scored from third with the bases loaded when the FGCU second baseman's throw home to force Chewning out at home went wide of the catcher. Pinch runner Becca Williams also scored on the play. Zauner scored on a wild pitch and Keri Sarratt picked up an RBI single to score pinch runner Ashley McCurry.

Hamilton was strong all game long and struck out two of the first three outs in the seventh to take the win. FGCU starter Kelci Breaux lasted just 2 1/3 innings before being lifted. She allowed six runs on eight hits to take the loss and fall to 5-7 on the year.

Upstate was strong with the bats. Chewning finished the game 3-for-3 with a pair of runs and an RBI. Brasil, Zauner and Quevedo each had a pair of hits and two RBI, while Hall added two hits for the Spartans. The sweep over FGCU is the second in three years as Upstate improved to 4-2 all-time against the Eagles.