Boone, N.C. – USC Upstate scored 22 runs on 33 hits and knocked six home runs, including three by Shellie Robinson, two by Ashley Butler and one by Ericka Harris as USC Upstate turned in a dominant offensive performance to sweep Appalachian State in a non-conference doubleheader at Appalachian State Tuesday night. The Spartans won game one, 10-2, and game two, 12-4.
Upstate improved to 24-4 on the year with the wins. The Spartans will travel to North Carolina A&T next Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader. Appalachian State fell to 12-12 with the losses.
Robinson had a monster day for Upstate. She finished the doubleheader with seven hits, including three home runs, with four RBIs and six runs. Butler finished the day with six hits, including a grand slam and another homer, seven RBIs and two runs.
"We had a great day at the plate, something we needed coming off a long break. I thought the time off did us well. We got some rest and came out ready to play today. Hannah did a very good job pitching for us. It was two really good wins," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins.
Upstate jumped on top in the first game when Lindsay Kelly (Jacksonville, Fla.) singled to lead off the inning, moved over to second on a ground out, advanced to third on a single and scored on a double steal play.
Appalachian State rallied in the bottom of the frame, plating two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Megan Rembielak reached on a single and stole second. She advanced to third on a single by Meghan Smith and scored when Smith attempted to advance to second and Upstate attempted to throw her out. Smith advanced to third on the play and scored on Allie Cashion's RBI-single.
Upstate countered in the second inning, stringing together four-straight singles with two outs to tie the game at 2-2 when lightning and then rain caused a delay in the game. After the teams broke for a 1:08 delay, the game resumed with Upstate at bat and the bases loaded with two outs.
When the game resumed, Cheyenne Griffin (Moore, S.C.) came up with the bases loaded and delivered an RBI-single off of the pitcher's leg to give Upstate a 3-2 lead. Butler (Laurens, S.C.) then cranked a grand slam that landed on top of the indoor practice football facility in center field to give the Spartans a 7-2 advantage.
Upstate added to the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Butler collected her fifth RBI of the game when she hit a single through the right side with runners on second and third to give the Spartans an 8-2 lead. Upstate added to the lead in the sixth inning when Robinson (DeLand, Fla.) knocked a solo home run to right center with two outs to give the Spartans a 9-2 lead.
The Spartans finished its scoring in the game with a run in the top of the seventh. Butler punctuated the offensive explosion with a solo home run, her second of the game and fourth of the season, to give Upstate a 10-2 lead. She also picked up her sixth RBI of the game.
After giving up two runs in the first inning, Upstate starter Hannah Alexander settled down and did not allow another run the rest of the game. She finished the outing with a complete game victory to improve to 14-2 on the year. She struck out eight and allowed the two runs on seven Mountaineer hits.
Butler was simply sensational in the first game. She finished 4-for-4 with six RBIs and two runs on two home runs. Robinson finished with three hits, an RBI and two runs, while Kelly, Ericka Harris (Piedmont, S.C.), Griffin and Hayley Reinfeld (Parkland, Fla.) each collected a pair of hits.
Appalachian State starter Caroline Williams allowed eight runs on 12 hits to take the loss. She fell to 3-2 on the year.
The second game started much like the first game. Upstate jumped on top in the first inning when Robinson hit her second homer of the day and 10th of the season with a two-run homer on a line drive over the wall in left.
Appalachian State got a run back in the bottom of the second when Allie Cashion hit a solo home run to left. The Mountaineers threatened in the third inning, loading the bases with two outs. However, Upstate starter Lacey Dinney (Hannon, Ontario) battled and got Caroline Rogers to fly out to center to end the threat and keep the Spartans ahead, 2-1.
Upstate made it a two-run game with a run in the fourth inning. With two outs, Reinfeld singled up the middle and advanced to second on Kendall Settlemyre's (Hickory, N.C.) walk. Kelly then came up and ripped a double to right center to score Reinfeld from second to give the Spartans a 3-1 lead.
Robinson started things off with a bang in the fifth inning. She went deep for the second time of the game and the third on the day, a solo home run to right center to give the Spartans a 4-1 lead. It was her 11th of the season.
The Spartans were not done in the inning as three more runs crossed the plate to give Upstate a 7-1 advantage. Maddison Kieffer (Middleburg, Fla.) drove in a run on a single. Settlemyre walked with the bases loaded and Kelly drove in a run on a fielder's choice.
Upstate made it a 9-1 lead with two runs in the top of the sixth. Robinson reached on an error with one out, and Butler and Janna Lewis (Huntersville, N.C.) each followed with singles to drive in a run. Appalachian State cut into the lead with a run on a sacrifice fly to get within 9-2.
With the game extended to the seventh inning on Appalachian's run in the sixth, Upstate added to its run total. Settlemyre reached after being hit by a pitch. Kelly followed with a single. Harris then came up and belted a three-run home run to right center to give the Spartans a 12-2 lead. It was the sixth home run of the day for Upstate and the third of the game.
Appalachian State added two runs in the bottom if the seventh with the game already out of hand.
Dinney was solid in the circle. She allowed four runs on seven Appalachian State hits in 6.2 innings of work to earn the victory, allowing three late runs once the game was in-hand. She struck out five and improved to 9-2 on the year. Alexander came on to get the last out of the game.
Robinson led the Spartans at the plate. She finished with four hits, including two home runs, and reached base all five times she appeared at the plate. She collected three RBIs and scored twice. Lewis put together a solid game at the plate and finished with three hits. Butler finished with three hits, while Reinfeld and Kelly each added two.
Appalachian State starter Caroline Wainright took the loss for Appalachian State. She allowed six runs to fall to on the year.
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