Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Nate Palace hit two home runs and had seven RBI to lead the Valparaiso Crusaders to a 17-5 victory over USC Upstate Saturday afternoon at Harley Park to even the three-game series.

Upstate falls to 6-6 overall and Valparaiso improves to 3-7.

Ryan Fritze (1-1) picked up the win after pitching 5.1 innings and gave up five runs (two earned) on seven hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Tyler Jackson (0-1) took the loss surrendering six runs (five earned) on six hits, no walks and no strikeouts.

The Crusaders struck for runs in each of the first five innings highlighted by a five-run frame in the fourth. Valparaiso scored three runs in the first and second innings to lead 6-0 over the Spartans. Palace drove in two of the three runs in the top of the first with his first home run of the game with Nolan Lodden adding an RBI double. In the second, Lodden added a two RBI double and Mark Johnson brought in the first run of the inning after his RBI single.

Jeff Edwards increased the Crusaders lead to 7-0 in the top of the third as his RBI single to left field plated Daniel Delaney from second. Delaney walked to lead off the inning and advanced into scoring position on Josh Clark's one-out single.

Upstate cut its deficit to 7-2 in the bottom of the third after scoring two runs with two outs. Jordan Miller started the inning by reaching on a Valparaiso fielding error and moved to second on a balk. He scored during the next at-bat on another Crusader error. James Fowlkes contributed the second run on his RBI single to left center field that brought home Erik Samples.

Valparaiso answered with the five-run fourth inning to extend its lead to 12-2. Palace hit his second homer of the game to drive in the first three runs of the inning. Edwards and Chad Jacob also had an RBI in the frame as Jacob reached on an infield single and Edwards allowed Dustin Beasley to score on a sacrifice fly.

The Crusaders put two more runs up in the top of the fifth before the Spartans scored three times in the fifth and sixth innings to put the score at 14-5. Upstate recorded a single run in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Fowlkes compiled his second RBI of the contest after a single in the fifth. Drew Fisher drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth while Jordan Ford had an RBI fielder's choice.

Palace had a two RBI double in the top of the eighth as Valparaiso scored three times to push its advantage to 17-5. Delaney compiled the other RBI after bringing in Lodden on a sacrifice fly to left field.

Fowlkes led the Spartans offensively as he went 3-for-4 and had two RBI, and was one of three players to finish with three hits along with Charlie Carpenter and Jake Beaver.

Palace went 3-for-6 and scored twice to go with his seven RBI for the Crusaders. Lodden also posted three hits while driving in three runs.

Upstate and Valparaiso conclude the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.

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