SPARTANBURG, S.C. – For the second consecutive outing, Scott DeCecco (Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) pitched six complete innings and was in line for the win but the Spartans couldn't hold on as ETSU rallied for a 6-4 victory in 10 innings on Friday afternoon at Harley Park.
DeCecco threw 119 pitches against the Bucs (6-2, 1-0 A-Sun) allowing just one run while scattering five hits. The sophomore struck out six batters for the second time in 2011.
Upstate (4-7, 0-1), like it has done in its previous two outings, scored the first runs of the game as Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla.) sent the first pitch he saw over the left field fence, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead as Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C.) also came in to score on Richardson's homer.
After DeCecco got out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the third, the Spartans were back on the offensive attack in the home half of the inning. Green scored for the second time as he was able to score from second when ETSU's starting pitcher John Long sent his throw past first baseman Paul Hoilman on Tyler Cook's attempted sacrifice bunt. Later in the inning, Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C.) scored on a sacrifice fly by Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla.), pushing the Spartans lead to 4-0.
In the top of the sixth inning, ETSU again had the bases loaded, but managed just one run. Matthew Scruggs singled to third base, allowing Derek Neisman to score but Clinton Freeman rounded second base and was tagged out on a 5-3-4 putout to end the ETSU threat.
After pitching the sixth, DeCecco's night was done and Chris Knauff (Marietta, Ga.) took the hill in the seventh. After Knauff hit Derek Trent with a pitch to load the bases and just one out, the Spartans halted the Bucs as Kerry Doane grounded into a double play.
ETSU trimmed the Spartan lead to one with a two-run eighth inning. With back-to-back groundouts to short, the Bucs followed with a single to right field and a hit-by-pitch to put runners on first and second with two away. Bo Reeder hit a liner to shortstop Grason Wiggins, but Wiggins dropped the liner, allowing the ETSU eighth to continue. Paul Hoilman and Dylan Pratt both earned RBI walks, setting the score at 4-3 in favor of the Spartans after the top of the eighth.
Andrew Wyant (Newton, N.C.) entered the game in the ninth and blew the save as ETSU tied the game at 4-4 on a RBI groundout by Clinton Freeman.
After the Spartans went three up and three down in the ninth, ETSU scored two runs in the top of the 10th to take a 6-4 lead. Upstate again went three up and three down as ETSU celebrated the come from behind win.
ETSU middle reliever Scott McNally pitched the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, and gave up just one hit en route to earning his fourth win of the season. Bo Reeder moved from third base and pitched a perfect 10th inning and earned his third save of 2011.
Wyant was credited with the loss and he now owns a 1-1 mark on the season.
Upstate was led at the plate by Green and Cook as the Spartan pair each collected two hits, with Green coming around to score twice.
The Spartans will host ETSU tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. for the second game of the three game set.
