Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate baseball team split a season-ending doubleheader on Saturday against Jacksonville at Harley Park as the Spartans won the opening game 3-2 before dropping the second game 12-3.
Upstate concludes the season at 22-30 overall and 5-15 in the Atlantic Sun. The Spartans claimed their second series victory of the 2016 season and won two of their three home conference series. Jacksonville wraps up the regular season at 33-20 and 14-6 in the league.
Game 1: Upstate 3, Jacksonville 2
The Spartans took advantage of three Dolphin errors in the sixth inning as they scored two runs and held on for a 3-2 win to clinch a series victory.
Jacksonville loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning after a double, walk and hit batter before the Spartans got out of the inning unscathed thanks to a groundout. Charlie Carpenter led off the Spartan second inning with his fifth home run of the season for a 1-0 Upstate lead.
The Dolphins scored two runs in the fifth inning thanks to four consecutive hits with two out. Parker Perez began the hit parade with a double and scored on a Dakota Julylia double. Julylia would score on a JJ Gould base hit.
Daniel Fickas reached on a Dolphin error to open the sixth and advanced to second after Cody Brittain reached on an error with one out. Carpenter loaded the bases with a single before a Jake Beaver single to left field scored Fickas to tie the game. Brittain would score the go-ahead run on a Jordan Ford fielder's choice and a Dolphin error that resulted in all baserunners being safe for a 3-2 Upstate lead.
Jacksonville threatened in the eighth inning as Austin Hays reached on a walk with one out. Connor Stephens followed with a sharply hit ground ball to third base, but Zach Krider made a diving stop and threw out Stephens to prevent a base hit. The inning would end on a groundout. The Dolphins opened the ninth inning with a base hit but Bryan Hathaway quickly calmed the threat thanks to a double play before a flyout ended the game.
Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a home run and a single. Fickas and Jake Beaver would have the only other hits for Upstate in the contest.
Julylia went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and an RBI to lead Jacksonville.
Jordan Miller picked up his first win of the season in relief after sending down the Dolphins in order in two innings of work. Hathaway recorded his first save of the year as he allowed one hit with a walk in 2.0 innings. Michael Baumann (4-4) took the loss after he allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits with a walk and eight strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
Game 2: Jacksonville 12, Upstate 3
Jacksonville scored seven runs in the first inning while limiting the Spartans to four hits as they salvaged a doubleheader split.
The Dolphins scored seven runs on five hits while sending 12 batters to the plate in the opening inning.
J.J. Shimko led off the Spartan first inning with a walk. Following a flyout, James Fowlkes hit his team-leading 10th home run over the center field fence to get Upstate on the board. Carpenter followed Fowlkes with his second home run of the afternoon with a line drive to right field. A pair of walks put runners at first and second with two outs before a flyout ended the inning.
Jacksonville added a run in the third inning on an Evan Fernandez single and a run in the fourth thanks to a Mike Cassala sacrifice fly. Devin Ortiz tied the league lead with his fifth triple of the season with two outs in the Upstate fourth inning before a groundout ended the inning.
Carpenter led off the sixth inning with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball before three groundouts and a flyout ended the inning.
The Dolphins scored three runs in the seventh on a Nate Ricci double, a groundout and a Fernandez base hit.
Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a home run, single, run scored and RBI. Fowlkes went 1-for-3 with a home run, run scored and two RBI. Ortiz went 1-for-3 with a triple.
Nathan Koslowski went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two singles, three runs scored and an RBI to lead Jacksonville. Fernandez finished 2-for-3 with two singles and two RBI.
Mike Schappell (5-2) allowed one hit with three strikeouts in 4.1 scoreless innings of relief. Cody Brittain (2-2) took the loss after he allowed six runs on three hits with two walks and a hit batter in 0.1 innings.
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