Softball

Upstate Rallies to Defeat Elon 9-6 in Spartan Invitational Finale

Box Score

Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate softball team scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally from four runs down and earn a 9-6 victory over the Elon Phoenix Sunday afternoon on the final day of the Buffalo Wild Wings Spartan Invitational from Cyrill Stadium.

Upstate extends its winning streak to seven games and improves to 17-2 on the season, while Elon falls to 8-10 overall.

Amanda Storch (4-0) came on in relief to pick up the win after giving up one run on three hits, no walks and three strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work. Kiandra Mitchum (0-2) took the loss as she tossed one-third of an inning in relief and allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits, one walk and one strikeout.

Brittany Case led the Spartan offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate and drove in two runs along with Ansley Gilstrap. Ryan Rector also had two hits and one RBI. Carey Million and Erica Serafini both had two hits for the Phoenix, while Emily Roper had a team-high three RBI.

Upstate used two-out single down the right field line by Rector, just past the glove of Ashtyn Foddrell at first, to go ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first. Elon starter Kayla Caruso started the frame by getting Gilstrap and Kendsey Chappelear to fly out to left field before Case roped a double into the left center field gap. Case would score on the hit by Rector.

Roper's two-out three-run homer off Spartan starter Holly McKinnon in the third put the Phoenix ahead 3-1. McKinnon managed to get Serafini to ground out before giving up two singles, all of whom scored on the home run by Roper. Upstate answered back with a run in the bottom of the third on Case's double to right center field, cutting its deficit down to 3-2.

Elon extended its lead to 6-2 over the Spartans as it plated two runs in the fourth and one in the sixth. Serafini began the scoring in the fourth with her RBI single down the left field line and Hannah Olson added an RBI sacrifice fly the next at-bat. In the top of the sixth, Serafini added another RBI on her double.

Rector began the sixth-inning rally for the Spartans with her leadoff single to center field. Upstate loaded the bases after Amy Szymanowski was hit by a pitch and Abbie Millete singled to right field. Kori Wancheck brought in the first run with her RBI single to left field and Szymanowski came home when Megan Obier was hit a pitch. After a bases loaded walk by Chappelear, Gilstrap gave the Spartans a 7-6 lead with her two-run single. Case capped the Upstate scoring as her bunt single to first scored both Chappelear and Gilstrap.

Storch retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to secure the come-from-behind win for the Spartans.

Upstate begins a 10-game road trip Wednesday afternoon as it heads to Clearwater, Fla. to face Green Bay in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Spartans will then participate in the Under Armour Showcase, hosted by South Florida, Friday through Sunday in Tampa, Fla.

Follow Upstate softball on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Print Friendly Version