Game Box (PDF) | Highlights

Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate softball team turned in a workman-like performance in taking a 7-2 victory and the series sweep over Northern Kentucky Wednesday afternoon at Cyrill Stadium. The Spartans swept the doubleheader from the Norse Tuesday and completed its first-ever three-game A-Sun sweep Wednesday since the league went to three-game series this season.

Upstate improved to 19-2 overall and 5-1 in the A-Sun with the win Wednesday. The Spartans will take a few days off before heading to UNC Wilmington to take on the Seahwaks Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. Northern Kentucky fell to 6-15 overall and 0-3 in the A-Sun.

"It was really good to get the win today and get the sweep in the series," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "We managed to get hits when we needed them and played pretty good defense behind solid pitching. We need to continue to work and improve as we move into the meat of our conference schedule over the next couple of weeks."

In a repeat of the pitching matchup in the series opener on Tuesday, Upstate sent freshman Jamie Ujvari (Niceville, Fla.) into the circle. Northern Kentucky sent Kelley Benhase into action, coming off a solid effort in the 3-1 loss to the Spartans Tuesday. However, it would not turn out the same for Benhase and the Norse.

Upstate jumped on top early in the first inning. After Cheyenne Griffin (Moore, S.C.) delivered an RBI single to open the scoring, Maddison Kieffer (Middleburg, Fla.) basically put the game away with a  three-run home run to right center to give the Spartans a 4-0 lead. It was her third homer of the series.

Upstate added to the lead in the second, opening a 6-0 advantage. With runners on second and third and one out, Ericka Harris (Piedmont, S.C.) brought home a run on a sacrifice squeeze bunt. Erin Schattle (Goose Creek, S.C.) later scored on a passed ball.

While the Upstate bats came alive early, Ujvari was strong as well. She allowed just one base runner on a walk through the first three innings of work. She ran into a small amount of trouble in the fourth. Emily Schwaeble, who came on as a relief pitcher in the second inning, helped out her own cause by hitting a solo home run in the fourth to cut the Upstate lead to 6-1. The Norse then put runners on first and second with two outs, but Ujvari got out of the inning without any further damage.

Northern Kentucky cut into the Upstate lead in the top of the sixth. Ujvari gave way to Hannah Alexander (Lexington, N.C.) to start the sixth. After Alexander got the first two batters out in the inning, Natalie Papi knocked a solo home run to left to get the Norse within 6-2.

Kendall Settlemyre (Hickory, N.C.) punctuated the victory in the bottom of the sixth, belting a solo home run to give the Spartans a 7-2 lead and the final margin. It was her third home run of the season.

Ujvari went five innings, allowing one run on two hits with eight strikeouts to earn the win in the circle for the Spartans. She improved to 8-0 on the season. Benhase took the loss for Northern Kentucky and fell to 5-7 on the year.

Three Spartans finished with two hits in the game. Meredith Barnes (Salem, Ore.), Dana Landers (Simpsonville, S.C.) and Settlemyre each accounted for two hits, while Kieffer had the big blow, her three-run homer.