FORT MYERS, Fla. – In a series that saw the winning team score 12 runs in each game, it was the USC Upstate Spartans that claimed the 12-8 victory in the series finale on Saturday to claim a 2-1 series win over Florida Gulf Coast at Swanson Stadium.
With the Saturday spilt, the Spartans claimed their first A-Sun series win since taking two of three at Stetson (May 7-8, 2010). Upstate now sits 10-15 overall and owns a 4-6 mark in league play, while FGCU now sits 13-12 (7-5).
FGCU 12, Upstate 2 (DH Game 1)
The Eagles took an early 2-0 lead when Zach Maxfield sent a two-run blast over the fence at Swanson Stadium. Brandon Bednar also scored on Maxfield's blast.
Upstate was able to cut the deficit to just one when Christian Faust (Massapequa, N.Y.) scored after Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C.) singled to right and advanced to third on an error by FGCU's right fielder, Brandon Bednar.
FGCU used a four-run fourth inning to push the lead to five at 6-1. The inning was capped by Sean Dwyer's three-run home run.
Upstate added its final run of the contest when Grason Wiggins (Statesboro, Ga.) singled to left, allowing Tyler Miller (Fort Mill, S.C.) to score.
The Eagles, leading 7-2, added four more runs in the home half of the seventh to push the lead to nine runs. Four different Eagles tallied a RBI in the inning, three coming on singles the other a sacrifice fly by Javi Sujo.
In the eighth, Mike Reeves scored the final run of the game when he hit the third homer of the game for FGCU.
Eagle starter Jacob Barnes picked up his first win of the season after tossing 100 pitches in 5.2 innings of work on the hill. Barnes gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Upstate's Gaither Bumgardner was tagged with the loss after pitching 5.2 innings allowing seven runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
The Spartans were led at the plate by Green, Wiggins and Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla.) as the trio combined for six of Upstate's eight hits.
Upstate 12, FGCU 8 (DH Game 2)
The Spartans doubled their output from the first game as they scored four runs in the top of the first inning. With Blake Green standing on second, Tyler Cook (Bloomington, Ill.) doubled down the right field line, allowing Green to score the first run of the game.
Austin Liput tripled to left center allowing Cook to cross home plate. Luke Weber (Spartanburg, S.C.) and Dillon Way (Orangeburg, S.C.) also drove in a run, giving the Spartans the early 4-0 advantage.
FGCU answered right back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Zach Maxfield capped the inning with a two-RBI single to left.
The Eagles took a 5-4 lead as they tacked on two runs in the bottom of the second inning and ultimately chased Spartan starter David Roseboom (Pattersonville, N.Y.) from the contest.
Upstate regained the lead, 6-5, after both Cook and Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla.) scored in the top of the third inning.
FGCU continued the back and forth affair with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Maxfield and Mikel Alvarez each delivered RBI singles putting the Eagles in front, 7-6.
In the fifth, Liput tied the game at 7-7 when he scored on Way's RBI groundout. The Spartans took the lead for good in the sixth when Green scored on Gaither Bumgardner's (Fort Lawn, S.C.) RBI single.
Upstate was able to increase the lead to four, 11-7, with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. With Way on first and Weber on second, Grason Wiggins delivered a two-RBI single to right center. Wiggins later scored on Bumgardner's single up the middle.
FGCU scored its final run of the contest when Stephen Wickens scored on Tim Roberson's sacrifice fly.
Upstate added one run in the ninth, when Way scored on Green's fielder's choice with two outs.
Five different Spartans (Green, Bumgardner, Liput, Weber and Way) collected two hits in the series finale at FGCU. Green, Liput, Weber and Way each scored two runs as the quartet combined for eight of Upstate's 12 runs.
Jordan Rusk (Longwood, Fla.) earned his first win of the season after pitching 3.1 innings allowing just one run on four hits while fanning three. Ryan Fern (Oviedo, Fla.) picked up save number two of the season after holding FGCU scoreless over the final 2.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Eagle reliever Harrison Cooney was credited with his first loss of the season after allowing two runs on four hits in 2.1 innings on the hill.
Upstate will return to action on Tuesday night when they host Wofford at Harley Park in a 6:00 p.m. first pitch.
