Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate Spartans scored four runs in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie as Upstate claimed a 7-4 win over FGCU in the opening game of an Atlantic Sun Conference series on Friday night at Harley Park.

Upstate improves to 19-24 and 2-10 in league play while FGCU drops to 20-24 and 6-7.

FGCU got on the board in the second inning as Jake Smith led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a Stefano Belmonte single. Upstate answered in the home half of the inning, scoring two runs with two outs. Jordan Ford got things started with a single to right field and advanced to second as Jake Beaver reached on a single through the left side of the infield. Devon Ortiz tied the game with a base hit to right field before Jordan Miller brought home Beaver on a base hit to right.

Ford reached on a single and advanced to second on an error with one out in the fourth inning before the Spartans loaded the bases thanks to a Beaver single to right and an Ortiz bunt single. Miller delivered with his second hit of the night to score Ford and give the Spartans a 3-1 lead.

FGCU tied the game after scoring two runs on the sixth inning. Gage Morey brought home a run with a double before he advanced to third on a wild pitch. Matt Roberts brought home Morey with a single to left field to tie the game at 3 with two outs in the inning.

Miller led off the seventh inning with a walk and advanced to second on a J.J. Shimko bunt single. An Eagle error on a bunt by Daniel Fickas allowed Fickas to reach, with Miller scoring after the ball got away from the FGCU first baseman. Following a strikeout, Cody Brittain hit his fifth home run of the season, a three-run blast to left field for a 7-4 Spartan lead. Neither team would have a baserunner the rest of the way.

Miller went 2-for-3 with two singles, a run scored and two RBI. Ford, Beaver and Ortiz each went 2-for-4. Brittain finished 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.

Smith, Matt Reardon and Jay Hayes each had two hits to lead FGCU. Belmonte, Morey and Roberts each had a single and an RBI.

Bryan Hathaway (2-0) earned the win as he allowed two hits with two strikeouts in 3.1 innings of relief. Tyler Jackson allowed three runs on eight hits with four walks and three strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Brady Anderson (5-5) took the loss as he surrendered seven runs (five earned) on 11 hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

The series continues tomorrow at 2 p.m.

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