Game One Box (PDF) | Game Two Box (PDF)
Game One Highlights | Game Two Highlights
Spartanburg, S.C. – Kendall Settlemyre led a Spartan long ball attack in the second game with three home runs in the nightcap and Lexi Shubert tossed a shutout in game one as USC Upstate swept an A-Sun doubleheader from Florida Gulf Coast Saturday afternoon at Cyrill Stadium. The Spartans won game one, 8-0, and game two, 11-3.
Upstate improved to 28-4 overall and 9-2 in the A-Sun with the sweep. FGCU fell to 19-13-1 overall and 4-4 in the league. The teams will play their third and final game of the series Sunday afternoon at 12:00 noon.
Settlemyre's three-homer effort in game two led the Spartan attack as Upstate hit five homers in the game. It marked the first time in Upstate's Division I era, beginning in 2008, that a Spartan has hit three home runs in a single game.
"We finally started hitting the way we are capable of hitting. We are starting to enjoy the game. Those two things go a long way. We had really good pitching and defense again. We look forward to getting back at it tomorrow," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins.
FGCU put runners on the corners in the top of the first, but Shubert got a ground out to end the inning. Shubert also got a solid defensive effort by Dana Landers in the second, recording the 4-to-3 double play after a leadoff single.
After getting little off FGCU starter Shelby Morgan in the first two innings, Upstate final broke through in the third. With the bases loaded and one out, Maddison Kieffer singled through the right side just beyond the outstretched arm of the FGCU second baseman to drive in two runs. Meredith Barnes later plated a run with the bases loaded again, lifting a sacrifice fly to right to give the Spartans a 3-0 lead.
FGCU looked to break through in the top of the fifth inning. The Eagles loaded the bases with one out on a single and two unsuccessful fielder's choices. However, Shubert stiffened with FGCU standout catcher Chelsea Zgrabik at the plate. Shubert got Zgrabik to ground into a double play to third to end the threat and inning.
FGCU put the leadoff runner on again in the sixth inning, the fifth time in six innings. The Eagles got a single, error and a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third with one out. Shubert got the next Eagle to foul out to third as Settlemyre ranged to the third base dugout railing for the second out of the inning. Shubert then struck out the next batter to end the threat again.
Upstate put the game away in the sixth, scoring five runs to end the game by the run rule. Ryan Rector doubled to drive in Barnes to give the Spartans a 4-0 lead. Upstate loaded the bases with two outs against FGCU reliever Taylor Wade. Landers drew a bases loaded walk to give Upstate a 5-0 advantage. Kieffer was hit by a pitch to plate another run as the lead grew to 6-0. Cheyenne Griffin then singled two drive in both runs as Upstate took the 8-0 victory.
Kieffer led the Spartans at the plate with three RBIs, while Griffin had two. Landers extended her hitting streak to 14-straight games. Shubert went the distance, tossing six innings. She scattered seven hits and struck out five to improve to 12-1 on the year. Morgan fell to 7-4 after allowing six runs on nine Upstate hits.
FGCU left eight runners on base in the first game. The Eagles put a runner on in the top of the first and this time, did not leave her stranded. Zgrabik hit a two-run home run to left as FGCU opened a 2-0 lead.
Upstate used the long ball to tie the game in the second inning off FGCU starter Amanda Josie. Griffin led off the inning with a solo shot to left center. Settlemyre followed with a solo shot to right center to give the Spartans back-to-back homers to begin the inning and tie the game at 2-2.
Griffin put Upstate ahead 3-2 in the third inning when she slapped a two-run single up the middle. Settlemyre made even more noise, following with a two-run homer to center to give the Spartans a 5-2 lead. It was her second homer of the game.
Erin Schattle kept it going in the fourth inning, leading off the inning with a solo home run to center. It was the fourth homer of the game for the Spartans. Upstate wasn't done, putting runners on second and third with one out when Barnes smacked a double to left center to plate both runners as the Spartans opened an 8-2 advantage. The Spartans made it a 9-2 lead on Settlemyre's RBI single.
Upstate starter Anna Miller shook off the two-run homer in the first inning and was solid after. She also got help by a pair of great diving catches by the Spartan corner outfielders. Right fielder Ryan Rector made a diving catch in fair territory in the first and left fielder Barnes made a diving catch near the fence in foul territory in the third.
Miller put runner on first and second with back-to-back walks in the fifth and Hawkins turned to Shubert. FGCU got a run back on a bases loaded walk to make it a 9-3 game. However, Shubert induced a 5-to-3 double play to get out of the inning and limit the Eagle damage.
Landers singled up the middle to drive in a run in the bottom fifth as Upstate got the run back and opened a 10-3 lead. Settlemyre ended the game in the bottom of the six, leading off the inning with a solo homer to give the Spartans the 11-3 win.
Settlemyre finished the game 4-for-4 with five RBIs and three runs. She drove in at least one run on each of her hits in the game. Schattle had three hits, while Griffin had two hits, RBIs and runs. Landers picked up a hit to extend her hitting streak to 15 games.
Miller improved to 10-2 on the year with the win. She allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on two hits with eight strikeouts. Josie took the loss for FGCU, allowing six runs on eight hits to fall to 5-5 on the year.
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