Game 1 Box Score (.pdf)
Game 2 Box Score (.pdf)
Nashville, Tenn. – The USC Upstate softball team began a three-game conference series with the Lipscomb Bisons by splitting a doubleheader Saturday afternoon by scores of 3-2 and 6-3 from Draper Diamond at Smith Stadium.
The Spartans currently sit at 24-4 on the season and 1-1 in A-Sun play, while Lipscomb is 15-13 overall and 1-1 in the conference. Upstate won the first game 3-2 before falling in game two 6-3.
The Spartans conclude their three-game series with the Bisons Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. EST.
Game 1 – USC Upstate 3, Lipscomb 2
Holly McKinnon pitched her ninth complete game of the season, and Ryan Rector hit her ninth home run, as Upstate rallied for a 3-2 win in game one over Lipscomb.
McKinnon (14-1) limited the Bisons to two runs on seven hits over her 7.0 innings of work while allowing one walk and seven strikeouts. Tanner Sanders (7-7) took the loss after also tossing a complete game and surrendered three runs on six hits, three walks and eight strikeouts.
Brittany Case and Ansley Gilstrap both had two hits for the Spartans, while Rector had two RBI and Megan Obier one. Sarah Higgins and Baylee Williams posted two hits each for Lipscomb, and Higgins drove in a team-high two runs.
All five runs scored in game one came within the first three innings with Lipscomb scoring twice in the bottom of the first. Higgins plated both runs in the first with her eighth home run of the season over the right center field fence. McKinnon retired the first two batters she faced in the frame before allowing a walk to Abby Fenichel and the homer by Higgins.
Upstate trimmed its deficit down to 2-1 in the second following an RBI bunt single from Obier. Abbie Millete led off the inning with a walk and was then pinch-run for by Kristen Wright. Wright stole second and would move to third on a sacrifice bunt.
Rector put the Spartans ahead for good in the top of the third with her two-run homer over the center field fence, making it a 3-2 contest. Case connected for a double on a 3-1 pitch from Sanders off the left field wall prior to Rector's home run.
McKinnon registered 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and fifth, but twice faced situations where the Bisons had two runners on base. Fenichel and Brittany Elmore both singled with less than two outs in the bottom of the third, but were unable to score as McKinnon got the next two Lipscomb batters to pop out and ground out. The Bisons against recorded back-to-back singles with one out in the sixth and were both stranded.
Lipscomb picked up a base hit with one out in the bottom of the seventh when Kasey Gibson singled up the middle. She advanced to second on a fly out to center field. McKinnon sealed the game one victory after getting Destinee Brewer on a ground out back to the mound.
Game 2 – USC Upstate 3, Lipscomb 6
The Bisons scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning and held off a late Upstate rally to win game two 6-3 and even the series at one game apiece.
Kelly Young (6-4) picked up the win after throwing a complete game and allowed three runs on two hits, five walks and 10 strikeouts. Lexi Shubert (3-2) suffered the loss on 1.1 innings of work while giving up three runs (one earned) on one hit, three walks and two strikeouts.
Case and Kori Wancheck had one hit each for the Spartans, while Wancheck contributed two RBI. Gibson recorded a game-high three hits and added two RBI along with Williams.
Lipscomb broke the game open early with a five-run inning in the second to lead 5-0. Gibson started the scoring with her RBI infield single before an Upstate throwing error generated two more runs. Williams made it 5-0 two batters later with her two-RBI single to right field.
Wancheck cut the Spartans deficit down to 5-3 in the top of the fifth on her two-run double to right field. The double drove home Wright and Ansley Gilstrap. Wancheck was able to score during the play on an error by the Bisons.
Lipscomb answered with a single run in the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead to 6-3 on Gibson's second RBI single of the game. Following the three-run fifth, Upstate was held without a hit for the rest of the contest.
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