CHARLESTON, S.C. – USC Upstate starting pitcher Scott DeCecco (Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) carried a no-hitter into the fifth and improved to 4-5 on the season as the Spartans claimed a 6-2 victory over The Citadel in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader at Riley Park.
The Bulldogs claimed game two by a score of 3-2. Upstate now owns a 14-29 record while The Citadel sits 16-24 on the campaign.
Upstate 6, The Citadel 2 (DH Game 1)
DeCecco nearly went the distance as he tied a career-mark with 8 1/3 innings of work, before exiting in line for the victory. He picked up his fourth victory of 2011 after allowing just two runs on seven hits. During his 125-pitch outing, the sophomore walked four and struck out three.
Jake Waller (Phoenixville, Pa.) picked up his first collegiate save after using just nine pitches to record the final two outs. After giving up a single to Grant Richards, Waller got Nick Orvin to ground into a double play to preserve the win.
The Spartans broke through first with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Tyler Miller (Fort Mill, S.C.) scored the first run of the game after an error by Bulldog Brad Fielder. Upstate pushed ahead 2-0 when Branden Millhouse (Summerville, S.C.) delivered an RBI single up the middle allowing Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla.) to score.
Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C.) put the Spartans in front 3-0 when he scored on Tyler Cook's (Bloomington, Ill.) RBI ground out in the top of the third.
The Spartans added another run in the fifth, this time Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C.) scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Weber (Spartanburg, S.C.).
After DeCecco retired the first six batters that stepped the plate and faced the minimum through four innings, the Bulldogs finally broke up the southpaw's no-hit bid in the bottom of the fifth with two outs. Drew DeKerlegand singled back up the middle for the first hit of the game for The Citadel. DeKerlegand's single allowed William Ladd to score, cutting the Spartan lead to 4-1.
The Spartans increased the lead to five thanks to two additional runs in the top of the sixth innings. Christian Faust (Massapequa, N.Y.) scored on Bumgardner's RBI single to center field. Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla.) was successful on his sacrifice fly to right, allowing Millhouse to score Upstate's sixth and final run of the contest.
Trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, The Citadel made things interesting in their final at-bat. With one out, William Ladd scored on an RBI to left by Legare Jones. With two on and just one out, the Spartans went to the bullpen and brought in Waller. After allowing a hit, Waller was able close the door on the Bulldogs with the non-traditional 1-2-3 double play.
The loss was credited to Bulldog starter Matt Talley (2-5). Talley allowed a career-high 11 hits in 5.1 innings of work as six runs scored (three earned) with five strikeouts and one walk.
Three different Spartans tallied three hits in the contest. Green, Bumgardner and Faust all recorded three hits in five at-bats and scored once. Meanwhile, Millhouse was 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run.
The Citadel 3, Upstate 2 (DH Game 2)
The Citadel was able to jump out to an early two-run lead and never relinquished the lead to earn the split on Saturday. Brad Felder was able to score after an error at short by Austin Liput in the top of the first. The Bulldogs pushed the lead to 2-0 when Matt Simonelli scored the second run of the inning.
The Spartans cut the deficit in half when Tyler Miller scored on Gaither Bumgardner's single to second base in the top of the third.
Matt Simonelli's RBI single to center, scoring John Pless, gave the Bulldogs a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the fifth.
After back-to-back ground outs in the top of the ninth, the Spartans received help from the Bulldogs in a comeback attempt. Dillon Way (Orangeburg, S.C.) was able to reach first on an error by Justin Mackert, the Bulldog first baseman.
After a double by Anthony Vacca (Fonthill, Ontario) and an infield single by Branden Millhouse, the Spartans trailed by just one run, 3-2, with runners on the corners. However, Blake Green grounded out to pitcher Justin Russell to end the Spartan threat.
Bulldog starting pitcher Austin Pritcher improved to 4-3 on the season after striking out four and allowing just one unearned run on nine hits in seven innings of work. Justin Russell picked up the save after pitching the final two frames and gave up one run (unearned) on two hits.
Spartan starter David Roseboom was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in six innings on the mound. In his 73-pitch outing, Roseboom struck out four Bulldog batters.
The Spartans were led by Weber and Liput at the dish in the finale as they each recorded two hits in the contest.
Upstate will take a 10-day break from action before traveling to Blacksburg, Va., on May 4, when the Spartans take on the Virginia Tech Hokies at 5:30 p.m.
