Morehead State Box Score (.pdf)
Virginia Tech Box Score (.pdf)
Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate softball team went 1-1 on Saturday afternoon during day two of the Spartan Classic following a win over the Morehead State Eagles before falling to the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cyrill Stadium.
Upstate started its day with a 10-2 victory in six innings over Morehead State and dropped a 6-0 decision to Virginia Tech to end day two of the three-day tournament.
The Spartans are currently 10-2 on the season and concludes the Spartan Classic Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Ohio State on ASun.TV.
Game 1 – Morehead State 2, USC Upstate 10 (6)
Amy Szymanowski and Karla Beasley each homered, and Holly McKinnon earned the decision in relief, as Upstate won its fourth straight game after winning 10-2 over the Eagles.
McKinnon (4-1) came on in relief of starter Amanda Storch and allowed one run on two hits, no walks and five strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Storch pitched 3.0 innings and also gave up one run on two hits. Allison Rager (3-2) took the loss for Morehead State after throwing 2.2 innings and surrendering six runs (five earned) on one walk and no strikeouts.
Beasley had a game-high three hits and four RBI for the Spartans, while Abbie Millete also recorded three hits. Szymanowski and Ryan Rector both drove in a pair of runs.
Karly Thompson and Dana Hutchins both led the Eagles with solo home runs.
Upstate benefitted from three Morehead State errors in the bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead. Rector and Beasley had an RBI each in the frame while Brittany Case came home on an error by the MSU catcher.
Thompson led off the second with a homer to left field cutting the score to 3-1, but the Spartans added another three runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 6-1. Beasley drove in all three runs during the inning on her fourth long ball of the season, a three-run homer, to extend Upstate's lead to five.
The teams both scored a single run in the fifth to put the score at 7-2. Hutchins connected on the Eagles second solo home run of the game to cut the score to 6-2, but the Spartans answered in the bottom-half of the frame on an RBI single by Kayla Hussey.
Upstate closed the game out in the sixth after plating three runs to put the final score at 10-2. Rector started the scoring for the Spartans with an RBI sacrifice bunt making it 8-2. Szymanowski ended the game with her two-run homer over the left field fence giving Upstate the eight-run victory.
Game 2 – Virginia Tech 6, USC Upstate 0
Maggie Tyler pitched a complete game shutout for Virginia Tech as the Hokies defeated the Spartans 6-0.
Tyler (1-5) struck out 15 batters and gave up three hits while walking one. Lexi Shubert (3-1) suffered the loss for the Spartans after tossing 4.0 innings and allowing five runs on seven hits, two walks and five strikeouts.
Kendsey Chappelear led the Upstate offense with two hits and Szymanowski added one.
Olivia Lattin was one of three Hokies with two hits in the contest and compiled a team-high three RBI.
Breanna Davenport led off the game for Virginia Tech with a solo homer to right center field before being held scoreless over the next two innings by Shubert. The Hokies extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth with Caitlyn Nolan's RBI single.
Virginia Tech broke the game open in the top of the fifth after plating three runs to take a 5-0 lead. Lattin drove in two of the runs with her single to left field and Chelsea Whitcomb added an RBI sacrifice bunt. The Hokies went ahead 6-0 after Lattin's RBI double in the sixth inning.
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