Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – USC Upstate recorded a season-high 23 hits and rallied from eight runs down to defeat the Valparaiso Crusaders 17-13 in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Harley Park.

Upstate improves to 7-6 on the season while Valparaiso falls to 3-8.

Jordan Miller (1-0) picked up the win in relief after tossing 2.0 innings and gave up two runs on four hits, no walks and two strikeouts. Ben Mahar (0-2) took the loss as he allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits, no walks and no strikeouts in 1.1 inning of relief.

The Spartans trailed 11-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth after the Crusaders had scored three runs during the top-half of the inning. Upstate answered with seven runs to get to within one, and took the lead for good after compiling four runs in the seventh and three in the eighth. The Spartans scored 14 of their 17 runs in three of the final four innings to win a series for the second straight weekend.

Valparaiso jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first after Daniel Delaney and Dustin Beasley recorded back-to-back RBI doubles with two outs off Upstate starter Blake Whitney. Upstate countered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first to even the score at 2-2. The Spartans loaded the bases with three straight singles by Daniel Fickas, Erik Samples and James Fowlkes. Fickas would score after Zach Krider hit into a double play and Charlie Carpenter drove in Samples with his RBI double to left field.

The teams traded a single run each in the next two innings to put the score at 3-3 heading to the fourth. The Crusaders went ahead 3-2 in the top of the second inning on Spencer Mahoney's RBI single. Carpenter plated his second run of the game in the third with a single.

Valparaiso broke the game open after scoring five runs in its half of the fourth to take an 8-3 lead. Mahoney, Mark Johnson, Nolan Lodden and Nate Palace each had an RBI in the inning while Lodden came home on a wild pitch by Upstate reliever Zac Manuppelli.

The Crusaders extended their lead to 11-3 in the top of the sixth as they turned in three runs. Palace drove in two of the three runs with his home run to left field and Lodden added an RBI single.

The Spartans began their comeback by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to trim their deficit to 11-10 after sending ten batters to the plate and recording seven hits. Stephen Dowling started the scoring with a leadoff home run to left field for his second long ball of the season. Fickas followed with a single to right field that brought home Cody Brittain. Following a walk to Samples, Fowlkes drove in two on his single to left field. Krider and Carpenter had the final two RBI of the frame as Krider singled up the middle and Carpenter grounded out to second.

Upstate took its first lead of the game in the seventh inning as it collected four more runs, and took advantage of two Valparaiso errors, to go in front 14-11. Samples started the scoring with his one-out RBI single to left field and Fickas later came home on a wild pitch. Krider put USC Upstate ahead by three with a two RBI single to right field allowing both Fowlkes and Samples to score.

The Spartans added their final three runs of the game in the bottom of the eighth to increase the cushion to 17-11. Brittain hit his second homer of the season to lead off the inning and two more scored on a single to right field by Fowlkes.

The Crusaders managed to score two runs in the top of the ninth but couldn't get any closer as Upstate picked up its seventh win of the season. Chad Jacob scored on an RBI double down the right field line by Johnson and Mahoney contributed a one-out RBI single. Spartan reliever Eric Birklund answered by striking out the next two batters and finished the game by getting Delaney to fly out to left field.

Samples and Krider led Upstate with four hits each and Fowlkes had a team-high four RBI to go with three hits for the second straight game. Krider and Carpenter both had three RBI on the day, and Carpenter teamed with Fickas to have three hits apiece.

Mahoney and Lodden went 4-for-6 for Valaparaiso, and Mahoney had three RBI along with Palace.

The Spartans hit the road for the first time this season on Wednesday, Mar. 11 as they travel to Charleston, S.C. to face College of Charleston at 6 p.m.

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