Columbia Uses Spartan Miscues for 6-4 Win

Saturday, March 21

Harley Park

1 pm

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics

8-14

Columbia

6-9

Columbia

USC Upstate

3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Spartanburg, S.C. – Columbia scored three unearned runs in the eighth inning to take a come from behind victory, 6-4, against USC Upstate in non-conference baseball action Saturday afternoon at Harley Park.

Upstate fell to 8-14 with the loss, while Columbia improved to 6-9. The teams will complete their four-game series Sunday morning starting at 11 at Harley Park.

Columbia jumped on top with a run in the top of the first inning. Will Savage reached on a comebacker to the pitcher, advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a single to shallow right center. He then scored when Shane Adams got picked off in a rundown between first and second to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Columbia put runners on second and third with one out in the top of the third inning. However, Upstate starter Blake Whitney struck out the next batter and got a fly out to right to get out of the jam and keep the game at a 1-0 Columbia lead.

Upstate benefitted from a Columbia error to tie the game in the third inning. The Spartans put runners on the corners with two outs. James Fowlkes hit a high chopper to the shortstop, but the ball was misplayed in trying to get the force out at second and J.J. Shimko scored from third with an unearned run to tie the game.

Upstate took its first lead in the bottom of the fourth. Erik Samples hit a double down the left field line and scored on Jake Beaver's RBI single to left. Whitney ran into a little trouble in the top of the fifth, but pitched out of it. After recording the first two outs of the inning, he allowed a double and a walk, and then moved the runners to second and third with a wild pitch. However, he got a fly out to right to end the inning and Columbia threat.

Upstate padded its lead in the bottom of the fifth. Shimko singled to lead off the inning and the Spartans put runners on first and second when Daniel Fickas reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop and the throw to second was not in time to get Shimko. Fowlkes laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over, but reached on a bad throw by the catcher which allowed Shimko to score. Fowlkes was thrown out trying to reach second, but Fickas moved to third and then scored when Charlie Carpenter reached on an error at second to give Upstate a 4-1 lead.

Columbia got a run back in the top of the sixth when Lane Robinette doubled with two outs to drive in a run and get the Lions within 4-2. It also chased Whitney from the game. After Whitney allowed a run in the top of the first, he was strong and limited Columbia to just three hits over the next four innings prior to allowing a run in the sixth. He gave way to Tresco Shannon.

Shannon tossed 1 1/3 scoreless and hitless innings to keep the Spartans in front, 4-2. He gave way to Brad Emery to start the eighth inning. After allowing a hit and a walk, and getting a line out to short, Emery gave way to Coleman Arrowood.

Robinette followed with an RBI single through the left side. After a ground out, Shane Adams reached on a throwing error at third and two runs scored on the play as Columbia took the lead at 5-4. The Lions made it a 6-4 lead when Joe Falcone reached on an infield single and a run scored from third on the play after another Spartan throwing error. Only one of the four runs scored by Columbia in the inning was earned as Upstate committed two errors in the inning.

Harrisen Egly entered the game on the mound to start the bottom of the eighth inning for Columbia. He replaced George Thanopoulos who left in position for the win after allowing four runs on four Spartan hits with three Lion errors. Thanopoulos allowed four combined runs in innings three, four and five, but held the Spartans scoreless in the first two innings and last two innings he worked.

Egly was strong in his two innings of work and recorded back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the eighth and ninth to secure the win for Columbia. He earned his first save of the season. Thanopoulos picked up his first win of the season and improved to 1-3 after allowing four runs on four hits with five strikeouts. Only one of the Spartan runs was earned.

Arrowood took the loss for Upstate. He allowed two runs on three hits with two Spartan errors in the eighth accounting for the two unearned runs against him. He fell to 0-1 on the year.

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