SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate baseball will host Western Kentucky University in a three-game series this weekend at Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park beginning Friday, Feb. 28 at 4:00 p.m. Game two is Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with the series finale on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
The Spartans (7-1) have gotten off to their best start since 2012 and most recently defeated Wofford College 11-6 on Tuesday night. The Terriers were picked to finish at the top of the SoCon in the preseason rankings.
Upstate set a new school record for hit by pitches Tuesday night as Wofford pelted nine Spartan batters. The Spartans scattered 10 hits to pick up their fifth straight win, and have amassed 75 hits through the first eight games of the season. Tuesday night the squad was led at the plate by Jason Matthews who went 3-for-4 with three runs. Five of Upstate's hits in the game were good for extra bases as Matthews, Devin Buckner, and Ben Olson each had a double while Cameron MacIntosh and Julian Rip both had a triple. Rip drove in three runs in the game while MacIntosh and Jack Hennessy also each collected a pair of RBIs. Mason Stewart had a multi-hit performance with an RBI.
Kyle Schmitt improved to 2-0 on the season as he gave up just two hits and one earned run with a pair of strikeouts in his 4.2 innings of work. The bullpen was busy as Will Lancaster and Austin Morgan each went 1.2 innings and combined for three strikeouts before Brady Betts made his collegiate debut on the mound. Will Wheeler stepped in to close, shutting down Wofford's late rally and ending the game with the bases loaded for the Terriers.
Upstate's pitching staff still sits atop the Big South Conference with a 1.65 ERA, and five Spartan pitchers individually rank in the top-10 in the league. Offensively, the squad holds a league second-best batting average of .298. Five Spartans are batting .333 or better, led by Mason Stewart with a .444 batting average. The Spartans rank first in the Big South in hits allowed per nine innings (5.58), on-base percentage (.419), runs (60) and runs per game (7.5), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.55).
The Hilltoppers were picked to finish seventh in the Conference-USA preseason poll and currently sit at 6-2 on the season. They are coming off a 10-5 midweek win against Austin Peay. WKU has five hitters batting over .300 this season led by Kevin Lambert at .346. The team holds a 3.33 ERA and the Friday night starter Michael Darrell Hicks ranks third on the team in strikeouts with 11.
Pitching Matchups
RHP Jordan Marks (2-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Darrell-Hicks (1-0, 1.93 ERA)
Saturday: TBA vs. TBA
Sunday: TBA vs. TBA
Broadcast Info
Live Stats
Live Audio
UP Next for the Spartans
The Spartans host The Citadel on Tuesday, March 3 at 4:00 p.m. before playing their first game away from Harley Park this season on Wednesday, March 4 as they face Michigan State at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. First pitch for the neutral matchup is set for 4:00 p.m.
Keep UP with the Spartans
Facebook (UpstateAthletics)
Twitter (@UpstateBSB)
Instagram (@UpstateBSB)
YouTube (USCUpstateAthletics)
