Box Score (.pdf)

Charleston, S.C. – Charleston Southern used a two-run seventh inning to defeat the USC Upstate baseball team 3-1 in a non-conference game on Wednesday evening at CSU Ballpark.

Charleston Southern improves to 8-5 while Upstate drops to 8-6.

J.J. Shimko led the Spartans at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two singles and a double. Jordan Ford went 1-for-4 with a double while James Fowlkes went 1-for-4 with a single. Hunter Gilbert went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Bryan Dye went 3-for-4 to lead the Buccaneers. Sly Edwards, Cole German and Chris Singleton each drove in a run.

After leaving a runner at third base in the second and third innings, Upstate got on the board in the fifth. Ford reached with a leadoff double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a Gilbert sacrifice fly. The Buccaneers tied the game in the sixth as Edwards reached on a single with one out before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Singleton.

Following a strikeout to begin the seventh, the Buccaneers strung together four straight singles which resulted in two runs for a 3-1 CSU lead. Upstate loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth inning before a strikeout ended the Spartan threat.

Alex Ministeri (1-1) earned the win in relief, striking out two batters in one inning of work. Chayce Hubbard picked up his third save of the year with a scoreless ninth. Zach Mitchell (3-1) took his first loss of the season, allowing two runs on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 6.1 innings.

Upstate travels to Kentucky for a weekend series beginning on Friday at 4 p.m.

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