Box Score (pdf)
Season Stats vs. Wofford
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C.) finished 5-for-5 with three runs and one RBI and USC Upstate rallied to tie the contest at six-all in the ninth, but Wofford scored the game-winning run in the home half of the ninth to claim the season sweep of the Spartans.
The Spartans (29-13) scored the first run of the game in the top of the first. With one out, Bumgardner and Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla.) connected on back-to-back singles and Luke Weber (Spartanburg, S.C.) drew a walk to load the bases. Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) delivered a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field, allowing Bumgardner to score from third. The Spartans again loaded the bases with a walk, but all three were left stranded.
After the first two Spartan batters were retired in the second, Jordan Stampler (Davie, Fla.) and Bumgardner recorded singles and advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch by Wofford (18-26) starter Gus White. Liput followed with a sharply hit ground ball to second, allowing both Stampler and Bumgardner to score, pushing the lead to 3-0. Liput tried to score on Weber's single off of the wall in left but was tagged out at home on the 7-6-2 putout.
In the second, the Terriers had runners at the corners, but a Stephen Cantrell fly out to center ended the Wofford threat. Cantrell was the final batter that Spartan starter Scott DeCecco (Cape May Courthouse, N.J) faced. In the pre-determined short start, DeCecco allowed two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
James Foster reached first on catcher's interference to start the home half of the third after Brandon Lee (Palatka, Fla.) replaced DeCecco on the hill. Foster was caught stealing at second while Matthew Pelt struck out swinging for the unofficial double play. The Terriers recorded a hit (Mac Doyle), but Konstantine Diamaduros grounded out to first to end the inning.
In the fourth, the Terriers went from zero outs to two outs thanks to a "strike 'em out, throw 'em out" situation. The Wofford fourth ended with a fly out by Eric Brenk.
With one out on the fifth, Lee ran into trouble as the Wofford scored on a RBI single by Matthew Pelt and took the lead (4-3) on a three-run homer by Mac Doyle. David Roseboom (Pattersonville, N.Y.) replaced Lee and retired the two batters he faced in the inning, both via strike outs.
In the sixth, the Spartans were able to get another unofficial double play with a strike out and caught stealing, keeping the deficit at one (4-3).
Upstate loaded the bases in the seventh, but the inning came to close on a fielder's choice by Stampler. Wofford followed with two runs in the home half of the seventh to push the lead to three runs at 6-3.
The Spartans loaded the bases an inning later, but the Spartans again left the bases loaded and after Wofford was held scoreless in the eighth, Upstate was down to its final three outs in the top of the ninth.
Bumgardner drove in L.J. Newman (Piedmont, S.C.) to close the gap to two runs, 6-4, with one out. Stampler scored on a RBI double by Liput and Bumgardner tied the contest at six-all when he scored on a wild pitch by Alex Wilson. With the infield in, Liput was tagged out at home plate for the second out of the inning and the Spartan ninth ended when Guers was forced out at second.
After Wofford loaded the bases, Upstate made a pitching change as Chad Sobotka (Sarasota, Fla.) replaced Andrew Wyant (Newton, N.C.). Sobotka struck out the first batter he faced, but Mac Doyle scored what proved the game-winning run on a RBI single by Eric Brenk.
The Spartans (18) and Terriers (8) combined for 26 runners left on base Tuesday evening. Wofford was also caught stealing six different times in the contest.
Aside from Bumgardner's strong night, Stampler and Liput combined for six hits with Liput posting three RBI and Stampler scoring twice. Wyant (0-2) was tagged with the loss after surrendering one run on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work.
Mac Doyle led Wofford with a 3-for-4 effort to go along with three RBI and three runs. Alex Wilson (2-3) earned the win after recording the final two outs of the ninth.
The Spartans will continue their five-game road swing with a 6 p.m. contest at Georgia State Wednesday evening. Ben Augenstein (Sebastian, Fla.) is slated to get the start for the Spartans. The junior, right-hander owns a 2-1 record with a 3.26 ERA in 38.2 innings (14 appearances, 5 starts). Georgia State will counter with rookie righty Connor Stanley (2-1, 3.86 ERA).
