Dayton Box Score (.pdf)

Canisius Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate softball team closed out play at the Upstate Classic on Saturday afternoon with back-to-back shutout victories as it defeated the Dayton Flyers 6-0 followed by a 4-0 triumph over the Canisius Griffins at Cyrill Stadium.

Upstate improves to 19-3 on the season, while Dayton fell to 8-6 overall and Canisius 6-7.

GAME ONE – DAYTON 0, USC UPSTATE 6

Scoring Breakdown

• Bottom 1^st – The Spartans used their base running to take a 1-0 lead over the Flyers in the first. Ansley Gilstrap and Ryan Rector executed a double steal at first and third to allow Gilstrap to score the game's first run.
• Bottom 2^nd – Kendsey Chappelear gave Upstate a 2-0 lead in the second on her RBI infield single that scored Megan Obier, who led off the inning with a single.
• Bottom 3^rd – The Spartans added to their lead at 4-0 following a two-run frame in the third. Brittany Case was responsible for both runs after hitting her first home run of the season, a two-run blast, to right center field that also drove in Karla Beasley after she started the inning with a single.
• Bottom 5^th – Upstate plated two more runs to extend its lead to 6-0. Blakely Burch started the scoring with her pinch-hit RBI single up the middle and Gilstrap followed three batters by driving in Obier on her RBI infield single.

• Lexi Shubert (10-1) is unbeaten in her last 11 appearances after earning the win in game one with four scoreless innings and gave up just two hits and four walks while registering four strikeouts.
• Holly McKinnon (1) earned her first save of the season after tossing three scoreless innings of relief, and had one walk and four strikeouts.
• Jessica Weaver (1-1) took the loss after giving up six runs on nine hits, two walks and four strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work.
• The 14 hits recorded by the Spartans are tied for a season-high after also having 14 against Howard on Feb. 24. Upstate now has five games this season with double-digit hits.
• Obier set a new career-high with four hits after going 4-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored.
• Abbie Millete posted two hits while Case had a game-high two RBI.
• Katie Ryan and Kailee Budicin collected the only two hits for Dayton.

Scoring Breakdown

• Bottom 3^rd – The Spartans broke a scoreless tie in the third by scoring twice to take a 2-0 lead. Kayla Hussey led off the inning with a double to left center field and was pinch-run for by Gemma Miller. Miller scored the game's first run when Rector reached on a fielder's choice. Rector and Chappelear then teamed up for another double steal to give Upstate a two-run advantage when Chappelear stole home and Rector went to second.
• Bottom 5^th – The Spartans benefited from two Griffin errors to push their lead out to 4-0 after scoring two more runs. Chappelear scored the first run after stealing third base and coming home on a throwing error. Gilstrap then used alert base running to score all the way from second base on a wild pitch.

• McKinnon (8-2) closed out her day by earning the win in game two after pitching 6.1 innings and did not allow a run on five hits, one walk and nine strikeouts.
• Erika Mackie (3-4) suffered the loss throwing 6.0 innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
• Obier and Hussey both led Upstate offensively with two hits each, while Rector contributed one RBI.
• Lindsey Silfer had a game-high four hits for Canisius.

• The Spartans travel to Clearwater, Fla. Mar. 10-12 for the USF-Under Armour Invitational. Upstate is scheduled to play five games against Army West Point, Central Michigan, Purdue, Saint Joseph's and Monmouth.