Game Box in PDF Format

Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate softball scored 18 runs on 14 hits and seven Howard errors to cruise to an 18-0 victory in five innings Saturday evening in the Coke Zero Spartan Classic at Cyrill Stadium.

Upstate improved to 9-0 with the win. The Spartans return to action for a pair of games Sunday, taking on Georgetown at 11:00 a.m. and #20 Kentucky at 3:00 p.m. Howard fell to 3-4 on the year.

"It was good that we got to play all of our players in the game," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "Tonight was a positive for getting some of our players some game action and get some jitters out."

The Upstate offense was nearly unstoppable in the top of the first inning, scoring 11 runs on nine hits. The Spartans sent 16 batters to the plate in the inning that also saw Howard make four errors.

Meredith Barnes (Salem, Ore.) started the scoring, crossing the plate after Shellie Robinson's (DeLand, Fla.) single and a fielding error in the outfield. Cheyenne Griffin (Moore, S.C.), Maddison Kieffer (Middleburg, Fla.), Hayley Reinfeld (Parkland, Fla.) and Jordan Wilson (Belmont, N.C.) all had RBI hits in the inning with Kieffer picking up three RBIs on two hits in the frame.

Upstate added three runs in the bottom of the second. The Spartans got an RBI single from Kieffer, a bases loaded walk from Wilson and a bases loaded hit batter by Marche Llanos (Kapolei, Hawaii) to do the damage. Upstate made it a 15-0 game with a run in the third inning.

Upstate finished the scoring in the fourth inning, bringing three runs across the plate to take an 18-0 lead. Upstate reliever Sam Poarch (Jacksonville, Fla.) tossed the final three innings of the five-inning game to earn her first victory of the season. She struck out six and did not allow a hit. Starter Jamie Ujvari (Niceville, Fla.) went two innings, allowing one hit and striking out six.

Four Upstate hitters finished with two hits in the game. Barnes had two hits with three runs. Griffin had two hits with a run and RBI. Kieffer had two hits with three RBIs, while Reinfeld collected two hits with three RBIs and two runs to lead the Spartans.

Coke Zero Spartan Classic
Saturday, Feb. 23
3:00 pm - Presbyterian 2, Georgetown 0
5:00 pm – Upstate 18, Howard 0
7:00 pm – Kentucky 8, Georgetown 0

Sunday, Feb. 24
9:00 am - Howard vs. Presbyterian
11:00 am - Georgetown at Upstate
1:00 pm - Kentucky vs. Howard
3:00 pm - Kentucky at Upstate

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