Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – The Pittsburgh Panthers used a four-run eighth inning to defeat the USC Upstate baseball team 10-4 on Saturday afternoon from Harley Park.

Upstate falls to 1-4 on the season while Pittsburgh improves to 2-3.

Matt Pidich (1-0) came on in relief to earn the win after tossing three scoreless innings and gave up one hit and one walk while striking out five. Blake Whitney (0-1) took the loss after surrendering five runs (four earned) on five hits, three walks and two strikeouts in 2.2 innings of relief.

The teams picked up a single run each in the first inning and sat tied 1-1 heading into the second. The Panthers started by using a two-out double by Boo Vazquez to take a 1-0 lead, but the Spartans answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first when Erik Samples belted his second home run of the season over the left center field fence.

Pittsburgh added another run in its half of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead after an RBI sacrifice bunt by Eric Hess. Aaron Schnurbusch led off the inning with a single and then stole both second and third base before coming home on the bunt from Hess.

Upstate came back in the fourth to tie the game again at 2-2 on a sacrifice fly by Stephen Dowling. Zach Krider led off the frame with a double down the right field line and moved to third after Drew Fisher singled to left field two batters later.

The Panthers scored one run in the fifth and six innings to go in front of the Spartans 4-2. Jordan Frabasilio plated Nick Yarnall, who led off the inning with a triple, with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Schnurbusch came home on a wild pitch in the sixth. Schnurbusch reached on a one-out double down the left field line and moved to third on an error by Whitney.

Upstate responded in the bottom of the sixth with two more runs to even the game at 4-4. Dowling drove in both runs on a two-out single to center field that scored Krider and Charlie Carpenter. Carpenter and Krider turned in back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, and both advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Beaver.

Hess and Charles Leblanc each had two RBI hits during the four-run eighth inning that put Pittsburgh back ahead 8-4. Manny Pazos contributed a two RBI double in the top of the ninth to increase the Panthers lead to 10-4.

Krider finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate to lead the Spartans offensively while Dowling had three RBI. Carpenter posted a two-hit performance while Krider scored a team-best two runs.

Schnurbusch went 4-for-4 with four runs scored for Pittsburgh and Hess had three RBI. Pazos and Leblanc also had two RBI apiece.

Upstate hosts East Tennessee State Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m.

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