Box Score (PDF)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Mitchell Jordan struck out five and gave up one earned run over seven innings to lead Stetson to a 5-2 victory over USC Upstate Friday in game one of a three-game series from Harley Park.

Jordan allowed eight hits and walked one en route to his second win of the season. Tyler Warmouth came on in the eighth and recorded the final four outs to pick up his fifth save of the year.

Upstate starting pitcher Brian Boocock took the loss after allowing three runs on five hits in one inning of work. Jordan Miller and Zach Mitchell each pitched four innings of relief and allowed a combined two runs.

Stetson pieced together five consecutive singles with two outs in the top of the first to push across three runs. After Boocock retired Cory Reid and Vance Vizcaino on two pitches, singles from Patrick Mazeika, Garrett Russini, Josh Powers, John Fussell and Jack Machonis put the Hatters ahead 3-0.  

Upstate scored a run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly from Erik Samples to cut the Stetson lead to 3-1. Cody Brittain and J.J. Shimko each singled to left field to put runners on first and second, and Sam Kysor moved each runner up one base with a sacrifice bunt to third. After Daniel Fickas walked to load the bases, Samples lifted a ball into shallow right field to plate Brittain for his 18th RBI of the season.  

Stetson regained a three-run lead in the fifth inning when Vizcaino led off the inning with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch.

The Spartans used consecutive two-out singles from Drew Fisher, Fickas and Samples and a throwing error by Powers to plate a run in the seventh. Fickas and Stephen Dowling each finished with two hits for Upstate.

Reid added a home run down the left field line in the ninth to drive in the final Stetson run of the game.Upstate and Stetson resume play Saturday at 2 p.m. in game two of the series.

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