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Kennesaw, Ga. – USC Upstate scored six runs in the top of the first to gain control of the game and held on for a 7-5 victory to complete the sweep of the three-game A-Sun softball series at Kennesaw State Saturday.

Upstate improved to 28-3 overall and 10-1 in the A-Sun with the win, maintaining its position in first place in the A-Sun standings. The series sweep over Kennesaw State was the first ever for the Spartans over the Owls. Upstate will next play when it hosts Presbyterian College Wednesday evening in a 6:00 p.m. non-conference single game at Cyrill Stadium. Kennesaw State fell to 23-10 overall and 7-5 in the league.

"We completed well after some adversity," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "We are really developing as a team. It is nice to get in the moments where a couple of bad pitches or plays can cost you the game and we got through those moments to win today. That can only help us in the future."

Upstate jumped on top early in the game, scoring six runs and sending 10 batters to the plate in the first inning to gain control.

After Upstate put runners on first and second on a hit and an error to leadoff the game, Shellie Robinson (DeLand, Fla.) doubled to drive in both runs and give the Spartans a 2-0 lead. Cheyenne Griffin (Moore, S.C.) singled to short, putting runners on first and second and Maddison Kieffer (Middleburg, Fla.) doubled to bring in Robinson and put runners on second and third.

Dana Landers (Simpsonville, S.C.) attempted a squeeze bunt and not only reached on the sacrifice when Kennesaw State chose to go home on the play, but came all the way around to score, along with another Spartan, on a throwing error to second that went all the way to the fence in center. Three runs scored on the play to give Upstate a 6-0 lead. Kennesaw head coach Scott Whitlock took out starter Abby Mixon and replaced her with Amanda Henderson who ended the inning without any further damage.

After a scoreless second inning, Kennesaw State got two runs back in the third to cut the Upstate lead to 6-2. Kara Chambers drove in the first run of the inning on a double to left and Sara Sikes drove in the second run on a bad-hop single through the left side.

After Kennesaw State scored its runs in the third, Upstate got a pair of defensive gems in the fourth to take back the momentum. The first was a diving catch on a short pop up down the first base line by Ericka Harris (Piedmont, S.C.) for the second out of the inning and a diving catch moving toward center field by Kieffer for the third out of the inning.

Upstate added to its lead in the fifth inning. Harris reached on a single and pinch runner Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) scored on Griffin's single to left as the Spartans opened a 7-2 advantage. The Spartans attempted to push the lead higher, but Henderson got out of a two-on, two-out jam.

Kennesaw State drew closer when Sharon Swanson hit a solo home run to left, cutting the Spartan lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the sixth.

After Kennesaw State put a runner on first to start the seventh inning, Hawkins inserted freshman pitcher Jamie Ujvari (Niceville, Fla.) into the game to close it out for the Spartans. After allowing a walk, Carly Van Auken singled through the right side to drive in a run and cut the Upstate lead to 7-4, keeping runners on first and second with no outs.

Ujvari got the first out of the inning on a fly out to center, bringing up the top of the Owl order. Kennesaw State cut the Upstate lead to 7-5 on a controversial play at second. A grounder found its way in the hole, but with the runner and Upstate's Landers in the same vicinity, the play was called a single and a run scored.

Ujvari got the second out of the inning on a pop up to short, keeping runners at first and second with Swanson up to bat. The freshman got Swanson to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game as Upstate took the 7-5 victory and the series sweep.

Alexander earned the win and improved to 12-2 on the year. She went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts. She was simply outstanding on the weekend, picking up two wins and a save.

Griffin and Kieffer led Upstate at the plate with two hits apiece.

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