SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate baseball used a sixth inning rally to come back and defeat Monmouth University 6-3 Friday night at Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park. The Spartans gave up three unearned runs in the top of the first inning, but shook it off and retired the side in the next three straight innings before putting up six runs in the sixth inning to open the weekend with a win and improve to 4-1 on the season.

The pitching staff impressed once again as Upstate didn't allow a single walk in the game and combined for nine strikeouts with no earned runs. Starting pitcher Jordan Marks improved to 2-0 on the season as he went 7 innings with six strikeouts and just five hits before the bullpen stepped up to completely shut down Monmouth in the final two innings. Will Lancaster relieved Marks in the eighth and fanned two batters before Will Wheeler closed the game with a strikeout in his inning of work and picked up his first save of the season.

Devin Buckner accounted for half of Upstate's hits on the day as he went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Julian Rip, Mason Stewart, and Jack Gallagher each recorded a hit as well while Rip and Gallagher each drove in a run.

"Nine innings of good pitching and one inning of good offense got us a win today," said head coach Mike McGuire. "We had a lot of good timely hits back-to-back [in the sixth inning] and took advantage of some opportunities. We were aggressive on the bases in that inning, and it turned out as a W. That's ultimately what we're worried about is winning ballgames, and I'm proud of the guys."

SCORING BREAKDOWN

B6: The Spartans had four hits and took advantage of three Monmouth errors in the bottom of the sixth inning to plate six runs. Jack Hennessy and Jeff Taylor both walked to get runners on for Buckner who singled to right center to drive in Hennessy and advance Taylor to third. Monmouth's centerfielder then overthrew the ball to third base, allowing Taylor to score and Buckner to advance to second before taking third base on another Monmouth throwing error as the third baseman overthrew the ball to home.

Monmouth tried to regroup by making a pitching change, but that did not stop the Spartans from scoring four more runs in the inning with two outs.

Rip pushed Buckner home with a single to left before stealing second and advancing to third on Stewart's single to first. Ben Olson then reached on an error by Monmouth's shortstop which also plated Rip and advanced Stewart to second. Gallagher knocked in Stewart with a single to right center before Olson made it home on a wild pitch to round out the scoring in the game.

UP next for the Spartans
The Spartans continue their weekend slate on Saturday as they host Manhattan College in their second game of the USC Upstate/Wofford Invitational. First pitch against the Jaspers is set for 4:00 p.m.

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