NASHVILLE, Tenn. – David Roseboom (Pattersonville, N.Y.) pitched four scoreless innings of relief in the second game on Saturday to earn his first career victory as USC Upstate downed Lipscomb by a score of 4-3 at Dugan Field.
Lipscomb claimed game one of the doubleheader by a score of 5-4. Upstate now sits 13-25 on the season and 7-11 in the Atlantic Sun while Lipscomb owns a 13-23 mark and a 4-10 conference record.
Lipscomb 5, Upstate 4 (DH Game 1)
Trailing 5-2 entering the top of the eighth, the Spartans made things interesting in their comeback attempt. In the eighth, Upstate had runners at first and second thanks to back-to-back walks. The two consecutive walks forced a Bisons pitching change as Gil Rehwinkel replaced starting pitcher, Blake Fonfara.
Dillon Way (Orangeburg, S.C.) delivered an RBI single up the middle, allowing Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla.) to score from second. Luke Weber (Spartanburg, S.C.) was caught at third trying to advance from first. The Spartan threat was halted on an inning ending 5-4-3 double play.
The Spartans again put pressure on the Bisons in the top of the ninth inning. Branden Millhouse (Summerville, S.C.) was hit by a pitch and Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C.) laid down a bunt to third to give the Spartans runners at first and second with one out. After a Tyler Cook (Bloomington, Ill.) liner was snagged by Lipscomb's short stop T. J. Hoelzer, Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla.) singled to third base to load the bases for Upstate.
A wild pitch by Gil Rehwinkel allowed Millhouse to score to cut the deficit to 5-4 and Upstate had a pair of runners in scoring position. Richardson walked to load the bases, forcing another pitching change. This time Mike Grace entered the game and forced Weber flied out to right fielder Lee Wilson to end the game.
Lipscomb starter Blake Fonfara earned the win and improves to 2-1 on the season after allowing three runs on eight hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Fonfara's 109-pitch outing carried him into the eighth inning. Mike Grace earned his first save after getting Weber to fly out to end the game.
Upstate starter Scott DeCecco (Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) was credited with the loss and now owns a 3-5 mark in 2011 after giving up six hits and four runs (three earned) with three walks and a pair of punch outs.
Lipscomb got on the scoreboard first with a single run in the first when M.L. Williams scored Richie Goodenow single through the right side.
Upstate was able to tie the game at 1-1 when Cook sent a 0-2 pitch over the wall in left in the top of the third inning.
The Spartans took the lead at 2-1 in the fourth when Green scored on Anthony Vacca's (Fonthill, Ontario) fielder's choice.
Lipscomb reclaimed the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. The inning was capped by Josh Chism's two-RBI single through the left side.
The Bisons tacked on another run in the seventh to push the lead to 5-2, giving the Bisons enough insurance to hold on for the victory.
Upstate was led at the plate by Tyler Miller (Fort Mill, S.C) was 3-for-4 with a double. Green, Cook and Liput each collected two hits in the contest.
Upstate 4, Lipscomb 3 (DH Game 2)
With the game tied at 3-3, Upstate pushed across the winning run in the top of the ninth inning when Luke Weber doubled off of the wall in left field allowing Austin Liput to give the Spartans a 4-3 lead.
David Roseboom, who entered the game in the sixth, picked up his first career win after scattering three hits and a walk during four innings of work. During his 50-pitch outing, Roseboom struck out a pair of Lipscomb batters.
Bisons' reliever Mike Grace was tagged with the loss after pitching the final three frames allowing one run on six hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Upstate was able to cross home plate first and owned a 3-0 lead after the top of the first. After back-to-back singles by Blake Green and Tyler Cook and a sacrifice bunt by Liput, the Spartans had a pair of base runners in scoring position with just one out.
After strikeout by Trey Richardson, Luke Weber hit a fly ball to center field but a misplay on the warning track by center fielder Ricky Coleman, allowed Green and Cook to score. With Weber standing at second, Dillon Way singled back up the middle allowing Weber to score, giving the Spartans the 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second inning Lipscomb's Ricky Coleman doubled to center field allowing Kyle Henry to advance to third. An errant throw on the play could have allowed Henry to score easily with no one at home plate. However, Henry opted to stay at third, but Coleman raced from second to third and passed Henry, resulting in Coleman being ruled out on the play. Despite the base running error, the Bisons were able to tack on two runs and cut the deficit to just one (3-2).
Two innings later, Lipscomb tied the game at 3-3 when Richie Goodenow hit a sacrifice fly to left, allowing Ricky Coleman to score.
The two teams posted zeros on the scoreboard until the ninth inning when Upstate scored the game-winning run.
Similar to game one, the Spartans had a player record three hits as Green finished 3-for-5 with a run in the 4-3 win. Way and Branden Millhouse each recorded two hits in the second game of Saturday's twinbill.
Upstate starting pitcher, Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C.), made his first appearance since being sidelined by a hand injury earlier this month. Bumgardner pitched five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and a strikeout.
Upstate and Lipscomb will return to the diamond tomorrow for the rubber game with first pitch slated for 12:00 p.m. (CT).
