Box Score (PDF)

Spartanburg, S.C. – USC Upstate jumped out to an 8-2 lead and held off Valparaiso for an 8-7 victory in the first game of a three-game non-conference baseball series Friday night at Harley Park.

Upstate improved to 6-5 with the win and extended its winning streak to five games. Valparaiso fell to 2-7 on the year.

Upstate jumped on top with a run in the first inning. Daniel Fickas led off the inning with a double down the line in right, moved over to third on a pop fly to shallow center and scored on James Fowlkes' sacrifice fly. Zach Krider reached on an error by the right fielder and motored all the way to third on the play. He scored on Charlie Carpenter's RBI single up the middle as the Spartans opened a 2-0 lead after  one inning of play.

Valparaiso looked to get back in the game in the top of the second. The Crusaders put runners on second and third following a hit batter, bunt single and sacrifice bunt. After Upstate starter Brian Boocock struck out the No. 8 batter in the lineup, Mark Johnson reached on an error on a fly ball to center. Both runners crossed the plate to tie the game at 2-2.

Upstate regained the lead in the bottom of the second. After Stephen Dowling walked to lead off the inning, Cody Brittain sent a liner to left that was misplayed and Dowling came around from first to score on the play. That began a big inning as the Spartans batted around and four Spartans crossed the plate to give Upstate a 6-2 lead. Fickas and Fowlkes each had RBI singles and Carpenter plated another on a sacrifice fly.

After allowing two unearned runs in the second, Boocock was nearly untouchable the rest of his outing as Upstate gained control of the game. He did not allow a hit through the next three innings and only allowed one in the sixth to allow the Spartan bats to build a six-run lead. He left after the sixth, giving way to Richie Lacell. Boocock gave up three hits and struck out six en route to earning the win and improving to 3-1 on the year.

After three scoreless innings, Upstate made it a 7-2 lead in the sixth inning when Samples led off the inning with a double and scored on Krider's sacrifice fly to right. Dowling made it an 8-2 advantage with a two-out single to center.

After Boocock exited the game, Valparaiso got a couple of runs back in the seventh inning. Nolan Lodden doubled to drive in a run and Nate Palace drove in a run on a sacrifice fly foul ball. Samples made a great diving play on the foul pop to get the second out of the inning despite the run scoring on the play.

The Crusaders moved closer in the eighth inning when Josh Clark hit a two-run homer to right off of Spartan reliever Brad Emery to get Valparaiso within 8-6. Another Crusader scored when Palace reached on an error as the top of the eighth ended with the Spartans clinging to an 8-7 lead.

Valparaiso made it interesting in the ninth. Dustin Beasley led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. A walk put runners on the corners with two outs. However, Spartan closer Erik Birklund, who entered the game in the eighth in relief of Emery, got Johnson to fly out to end the game and secure the Spartan win.

Birklund tossed 1 2/3 innings of relief to earn his second save of the season. Valparaiso starter Dalton Lundeen took the loss after allowing six runs on eight Spartan hits in four innings of work. Upstate never trailed after taking the lead on Lundeen.

Samples had a day at the plate, finishing with four hits to lead the Upstate offensive attack. He also scored twice and made a defensive gem on the diving catch of a foul ball in the seventh. Carpenter added three hits and two RBIs, while Fickas and Brittain each finished with a pair of hits.