Box Score Follow the Spartans on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Despite four players tallying multiple hits Saturday, the USC Upstate baseball team fell to Florida Gulf Coast in the second game of the three-game Atlantic Sun series at Harley Park.
After being shutout in the first game, FGCU (10-17, 4-4 A-Sun) scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead. With runners on the corners, Andrew Valencia doubled to left center allowing Ryan Gebhart to score the game's first run. The Eagles added a pair of unearned runs when Sean Dwyer singled through the right side, allowing Michael Suchy and Valencia to score.
Upstate trimmed the deficit to one when Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) delivered a two-out, two-RBI single to left field in the bottom of the third. Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C.) and Jordan Stampler (Davie, Fla.) scored on Guers' single as the Spartans climbed within 3-2.
The Spartans tied the contest an inning later when Stampler singled through the right side, allowing Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla.) to score from second.
FGCU plated the final run of the contest in the top of the seventh. With Brandon Bednar standing on third, Sean Dwyer hit a sacrifice fly to center to put the Eagles back in front, 4-3.
Upstate led off the ninth inning with a single by Stampler and Miller laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Stampler to second. Stampler was left stranded at second as Luke Weber (Spartanburg, S.C.) lined out to short and Guers flew out to left.
RJ Brown (1-0) earned the win in relief, while David Palladino (Emerson, N.J.) took the last after allowing the final run of the contest in the seventh.
Tyler Cook (Bloomington, Ill.) led the Spartans with three hits, while Stampler, Guers and Liput added two hits apiece. Guers led the club with two RBI.
Sean Dwyer led the Eagles with three RBI on just one hit.
The two teams will meet in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at Harley Park is slated for 1 p.m. with Brandon Lee (Palatka, Fla.) getting the start for Upstate.
