April 25, 2010

Box Score - Game 2
Box Score - Game 1

Spartanburg, S.C. - When USC Upstate needed the bats to come alive Sunday afternoon in its key A-Sun doubleheader against East Tennessee State, the Spartans delivered by scoring all seven runs in the sixth inning to earn a doubleheader sweep of the Buccaneers. Upstate won by scores of 3-0 and 4-2.

Upstate improved to 35-12 overall and 10-8 in the A-Sun with the sweep. The wins were crucial in the Spartans' drive to secure one of six spots in the A-Sun Tournament in May. Upstate entered the day in the sixth position and now stands fifth, a game ahead of Jacksonville and two games ahead of Campbell in the conference standings. ETSU fell to 18-34 overall and 5-15 in the league.

Upstate came alive to get key hits in both games. In game one, Jenna Torbert entered the game in the sixth inning as a pinch hitter and belted a solo home run to start things off. The Spartans went on to score three runs in the inning en route to the 3-0 win. In the second game, the Spartans trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth when Upstate scored four runs to take the lead en route to the 4-2 victory.

"It was the best defensive doubleheader I have seen this year," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "My new favorite inning is the sixth. It was a great way for three very important people to me to go out on Senior Day. Morgan did very well in what was a tremendously strong wind. Getting these two wins were very important for our chances to get into the A-Sun Tournament."

Upstate starter Morgan Childers was her typical dominant self. She struck out nine to move her career total to 907, topping the 900-strikeout plateau. She has now reach the 600-, 700-, 800- and 900-strikeout plateaus this season alone. She allowed just one hit in the game to record her ninth career one-hitter. She recorded her nation-leading 29th victory of the year, improving to 29-5 this season.

The first game was definitely a pitcher's duel as Childers and ETSU's Jessica Duncan battled each other inning for inning. Neither team could get anything going until Upstate broke through in the sixth. Torbert started things off, pinch hitting for senior Keri Sarratt to lead off the inning. She drove a pitch over the wall in left to give Upstate a 1-0 lead. Kim Brasil followed with a walk and advanced to third on senior Crislyn Chewning's double. Ericka Harris drove in Brasil with a sacrifice fly and Chewning scored on senior Monica Hall's double. Childers struck out the first and third outs in the seventh to close out the game as Upstate took the win.

Hall finished with two hits to lead Upstate at the plate. Duncan took the loss for ETSU, falling to 8-8 on the year.

Game two was filled with excitement in the latter innings. Childers started the game for Upstate and was matched up with ETSU starter Darci Gilbert. The teams moved into the fourth inning in a scoreless tie when ETSU broke on top on Katie Henderson's RBI single. Amber Hamilton relieved Childers to start the fifth, but ETSU added to its lead with a run to open a 2-0 lead. Lucy Schneider, who had a pair of hits in the game, drove in the run.

Upstate began its rally in the sixth inning when Brasil led off the inning with a double, her league-leading 18th of the season. Chewning followed with a single to shortstop to put runners on first and second. Harris laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Brasil to third and Chewning to second. Katie Zauner singled to score Brasil and Chewning scored from third on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2. With pinch runner Becca Williams on third, Hall grounded out to short to score Williams as Upstate went ahead, 3-2. Lauren Quevedo finished the scoring with a solo homer to left center.

Hamilton was solid in relief and shut the door on ETSU in the seventh. She got two great plays on line drives to start the inning as Quevedo made a lunging stab at Annie Martin's liner down the line at first and Sarratt came up with a line drive at third. After a single, Hamilton induced Schneider to fly out to Brasil in left to end the game.

Hamilton tossed three innings of relief, allowing a run on four hits to earn the victory. She improved to 5-5 on the year. Zauner finished the game with two hits to lead Upstate at the plate. Gilbert went 5 2/3 innings and allowed all four runs to take the loss for ETSU and fall to 4-9 on the year.

Upstate will not play again until Appalachian State comes to Cyrill Stadium for a non-conference doubleheader on May 6.

Sunday was Senior Day at Upstate as the Spartans honored seniors Crislyn Chewning, Monica Hall and Keri Sarratt in a ceremony between games.