Spartanburg, S.C. – USC Upstate combined for 20 runs in two games to improve to 3-0 in the Upstate Classic softball tournament at Cyrill Stadium, taking a 13-1 win over Hampton and a 7-1 victory over George Mason Saturday afternoon. The Spartans improved to 9-0 on the season with the wins.
The Upstate Classic will continue Sunday with Hampton and George Mason playing at 11:00 a.m. and Upstate closing out the tournament against Hampton at 1:00 p.m.
Upstate pitchers Morgan Childers (Kings Mountain, N.C.) and Hannah Alexander (Lexington, N.C.) were solid in the circle to lead the Spartans to a pair of wins. Childers tossed four innings and allowed one run on two hits to improve to 6-0 on the year in the game shortened because the eight-run rule. Alexander improved to 3-0 after going the distance in the 7-1 win.
"Today was a day that allowed just about everyone to play, get out there and have an opportunity to make a team contribution," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "It was a really good day all the way around and we look forward to closing out the tournament tomorrow."
Upstate started quickly in the game against Hampton, scoring 10 runs in the first inning. The Spartans sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning. They loaded the bases when Kim Brasil (Mississauga, Ontario) drew a walk, Erica Harris (Piedmont, S.C.) singled and Katie Zauner (Canby, Ore.) walked to start the inning. Cheyanna Ohlrich (North Bend, Ore.) followed with a two-run single. Lauren Quevedo (Wellington, Fla.) singled to drive in a run to make it a 4-0 game.
Janna Lewis (Huntersville, N.C.) singled to drive in a run and Katelyn Molkenthin (Valrico, Fla.) plated two with a single to bring up the top of the order. Zauner collected an RBI hit and Brasil and Harris each scored on errors as Upstate took control with a 10-0 lead.
Upstate added to the lead with a run in the second inning on Molkenthin's double to center. Hampton got on the board in the fourth inning when Carla Trimble singled down the leftfield line to drive in Tamara Vickers. However, Upstate notched a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to make it a 13-1 lead. Jenna Torbert (Denver, N.C.) scored on a passed ball and Molkenthin picked up another RBI in the inning.
Alex Yohe (Concord, N.C.) tossed a scoreless fifth inning to close things out for Upstate as the Spartans took the 12-run victory in five innings. Childers was strong through four innings. She struck out six to increase her season total to 71 on the year. Tiffany Brents (0-1) took the loss for Hampton.
Molkenthin was the star at the plate in the game for Upstate. She collected a pair of hits and drove in four of Upstate's 10 RBIs in the contest. Harris also picked up a pair of hits, while Ohlrich drove in two runs.
The going was much closer in the second game of the day for Upstate as Upstate took a 7-1 win over George Mason. The Patriots jumped on top of Upstate with a run in the first inning when Rachael Davies singled to drive in Alyssa See. Upstate, though scored seven unanswered runs to take the win, starting with two in the bottom of the first on Harris' two-run home run to center.
Upstate made it a 3-1 lead in the second when Brasil singled to drive in Lewis. The Spartans plated three runs in the fifth inning to open a 6-1 lead. Quevedo drove in a pair of runs on a double and Ashley Butler (Laurens, S.C.) drove in a run on a single. Upstate ended the scoring with a run in the fifth inning on Zauner's ground out to the shortstop.
Alexander was never really in any trouble in the game. She scattered four hits and allowed just one unearned run to earn her third victory of the season. Amanda Buffington (0-1) took the loss for George Mason, which fell to 1-2 on the year.
Harris and Ohlrich each finished with two hits to pace Upstate at the plate. Harris collected a pair of RBIs and scored twice, while Quevedo also collected a pair of RBIs.
