April 21, 2010

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

Spartanburg, S.C. - Monica Hall collected four hits and three RBI in two games and Morgan Childers tossed her seventh career one-hitter with a 1-0 shutout in game one and earned the save in the second game as USC Upstate took a doubleheader sweep of Winthrop in non-conference softball action Wednesday evening at Cyrill Stadium.

Upstate improved to 33-12 on the year and returns to action Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in a key A-Sun doubleheader against East Tennessee State at Cyrill Stadium. Sunday will also be Senior Day for the Spartans. Winthrop fell to 23-20 on the year.

"Amber (Hamilton) did a good job today," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "She kept us in the game in game two and allowed us to win. Even though we had two errors in the second game, I thought our defense was really good. Winthrop is a very good program and to get a sweep from them is pretty solid."

Upstate put runners on base in the first game, collecting seven hits. However, the Spartans left nine runners on base and the game went deep in a scoreless tie. Childers had a perfect game going until she gave up a walk in the sixth. She lost her no-hit bid when Melanie Andrea singled in the seventh.

Upstate pushed a run across in the bottom of the seventh to take the game-one win. Kim Brasil was hit by a pitch to start the inning and advanced to second on a passed ball. Ericka Harris was intentionally walked with one out. Hall singled with two outs to drive in Brasil with the game-winning run.

Childers finished the game with eight strikeouts and allowed just one walk and one hit to improve to 28-5 on the year. She recorded her 78th career win to move into third all-time in the A-Sun. Hall finished the game with three hits to lead the Spartans at the plate. Winthrop starter Ashleigh Jackson went the distance and took the loss to fall to 1-3, though she allowed just one run.

Game two was close throughout until Upstate scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to break open the game.

Upstate starter Amber Hamilton tossed a solid game. She pitched five innings and allowed just three hits to earn the victory and improve to 4-5 on the year. She pitched out of a couple of jams in the first and third innings to keep the Lady Eagles off of the board.

Upstate broke on top in the third inning when Crislyn Chewning drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to left. The Spartans added to the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth on Monica Hall's two run single.

Childers, who entered the game in relief to start the sixth inning, tossed two innings to earn the save. She allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts to earn her seventh career save and first of the season. Lauren Quevedo and Keri Sarratt each finished with a pair of hits, while Hall accounted for two RBI.

Winthrop starter Chelsey Schoenfeldt went 5 1/3 innings before being lifted. She allowed all three of Upstate's runs and took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year.

Hall was the star at the plate on the day. She finished the doubleheader with four hits and three RBI.