SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Trailing by a score of 5-2 in the sixth, the USC Upstate baseball team scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally past visiting Furman on Tuesday night at Harley Park.
Upstate (8-13) started the sixth-inning rally when Tyler Cook (Bloomington, Ill.) singled to third and was able to advance to second on a throwing error. Grason Wiggins (Statesboro, Ga.) scored on the play, while Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C.) advanced to third. Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla.) tripled to the right center field gap, allowing Bumgardner and Cook to score easily, tying the game at 5-5.
Richardson was able to trot home and put the Spartans in front, 6-5, when Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla.) doubled to right center. The inning appeared to be over but Will Owens dropped a fly ball in left allowing Luke Weber (Spartanburg, S.C.) to reach second base while Liput scored to give the Spartans a two-run cushion. Weber scored the final run of the inning as Upstate led 8-5 after six innings.
Over the final three innings, Furman (10-12) managed just one hit and had two base runners.
Upstate reliever Chris Knauff (Marietta, Ga.) pitched the final four innings, holding the Paladins in check allowing just one hit and one run with three strikeouts to pick up his second win of the 2011 season.
Furman's Matt Plate (2-2) took the loss as he faced nine batters and recorded just two outs as he allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits.
Furman opened the scoring in the first inning when Taylor Johnson hit a two-run home run over the right center field wall giving the Paladins the early 2-0 lead.
Upstate tied the game in the bottom of the first thanks to RBI singles by Liput and Weber.
Philip Brannon (Spartanburg, S.C.) made his first appearance since getting the start in the third game of the season against Iona (Feb. 20). Brannon pitched the second inning, allowing one hit while just tossing five pitches to record three outs.
In the top of the third, Furman scored three runs to take a 5-2 lead. The Paladin third was capped by a two RBI double by Will Muzika.
Eight of nine Spartans recorded a hit on Tuesday and four of the eight had multiple hits. Bumgardner led the way with a 3-for-4 effort including a pair of runs. Richardson, Liput and Weber each had two hits and the trio combined for five RBI and four runs.
Upstate and Furman will face each other again tomorrow evening in Greenville, S.C., with first pitch slated for 6:00 p.m.
