Game 1 Box (PDF) | Game 2 Box (PDF)
Jacksonville, Fla. – Shellie Robinson broke USC Upstate's Division I era school record for doubles in game one and hit a pair of home runs in game two, while Lexi Shubert picked up two wins in dominant fashion with a strong performance as the Spartan softball team claimed a sweep of A-Sun rival Jacksonville Saturday in the River City. The Spartans won by scores of 7-3 and 6-4.
Upstate improved to 21-4 overall and 5-0 in the A-Sun with the sweep Saturday. Jacksonville fell to 17-16 overall and 0-2 in the league. The teams will play the third game of the series Sunday at 1 p.m. With the sweep, Upstate has now won 23 consecutive A-Sun games dating back to last season.
With a pair of doubles in the first game, Robinson surpassed the Upstate Division I era career record of 50 held by Kim (Brasil) Hames, who was a standout from 2008-11. Robinson now has 51 in her career and already owns the school's all-time career record for home runs and the Division I era marks for hits, home runs, RBIs and runs.
Shubert went the distance in game one and allowed just one earned run, while coming in to pitch 4 1/3 innings of relief to get the win in game two.
Game 1 – Upstate 7, Jacksonville 3
Upstate put two runs across in the top of the second to start the scoring in the game, and did so with two outs. After Jacksonville starter Victoria Brown got a pair of ground outs to start the game, Cheyenne Griffin and Dana Landers hit back-to-back singles. Kendall Settlemyre then stepped to the plate and belted a double down the line in left to score both runs and give the Spartans a 2-0 lead.
Upstate looked to add to its lead in the third when Griffin reached on an error by the Jacksonville third baseman and motored all the way around to third to lead off the inning. However, Brown got a ground out, strikeout and ground out to strand Griffin at third and keep the score at a 2-0 Spartan advantage.
Shubert ran into trouble in the third after a dominant first two innings. She allowed a one-out single and then a walk, and the runners moved to second and third on a passed ball. After Shubert struck out the next batter, Emily Sanchez singled to right center to drive in both runs and tie the game at 2-2. Both runs were unearned.
Robinson entered the day needing one double to tie and two to break Upstate's Division I era career doubles mark. She tied the record with a double in the second. Her record-breaking double was huge in the fourth inning as she helped Upstate regain the lead. With one out and runners on first and second, Robinson smacked a double to left center to score two runs, give the Spartans a 4-2 lead and give herself sole possession of the doubles record. She is seven doubles shy of the all-time record of 58 held by Heidi (Gibbs) Hicks.
Jacksonville would not go away. Brooke Smith got the Dolphins back within one with a two-out solo home run to left as Jacksonville closed to within 4-3 in the fourth. Upstate looked to add to its lead in the fifth. The Spartans put runners on second and third with one out, but Brown got a strikeout and ground out to end the Spartan threat.
Clinging to a one-run lead, Upstate designated player Karla Beasley, who is from Jacksonville, gave the Spartans a cushion heading to the bottom of the seventh when she cranked a three-run home run. The homer, her fifth of the season, gave Upstate a 7-3 advantage.
Following Beasley's blast in the top of the seventh, Shubert tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the frame to end the game. She earned the complete game victory and improved to 13-3 on the year overall and 3-0 in the A-Sun. She allowed three runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits while striking out eight. Beasley led the Spartans at the plate with two hits and three RBIs, while Robinson and Settlemyre each had a pair of hits and RBIs. Settlemyre reached 100 career RBIs with her two in the game.
Game 2 – Upstate 6, Jacksonville 4
Upstate wasted no time in taking a lead in the second game of the doubleheader. Robinson and Aly Schneider led off the game with back-to-back solo home runs to give the Spartans and starting pitcher Amanda Storch a 2-0 lead.
Jacksonville got back in the game by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2-2. The Dolphins loaded the bases with one out and Charli Bradshaw scored on a wild pitch to cut the Spartan lead to 2-1. After a walk loaded the bases again, Danielle Baker followed with a walk to tie the game.
Jacksonville took the lead in the bottom of the third. After allowing a one-out single, Storch was lifted and replaced by Kinsley Jennings. Lexie Ballard followed with a two-run home run to left that gave the Dolphins a 4-2 lead. Jacksonville then loaded the bases with two outs and Shubert, who went the distance in game one for Upstate, entered to replace Jennings. Shubert struck out the first batter she faced to get the Spartans out of the inning without any further damage.
Upstate inched closer with a run in the fifth inning to cut the Jacksonville lead to 4-3. The Spartans put runners on first and second with no outs and Hayley Reinfeld followed with an RBI single. Upstate vaulted back into the lead in the top of the sixth. Pinch hitter Marche Llanos led off the inning with a walk and Robinson cranked her second home run of the day, this time a 2-run shot, to give the Spartans a 5-4 lead. Griffin doubled to drive in Schneider to give the Spartans a 6-4 advantage. It was hit No. 199 of her career.
Shubert was strong in the game one victory. She may have been even more impressive in her game two relief appearance. She allowed just two hits in 4 1/3 innings of work and had three strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 14-3 overall and 4-0 in the A-Sun.
Robinson led Upstate at the plate with her two home runs, three RBIs and two runs. Schneider, Beasley and Reinfeld each had two hits. Victoria Brown took a pair of losses on the day for Jacksonville, the second in a relief appearance in game two, to fall to 11-10 on the year.
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