SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Senior Jordan Marks posted his third straight quality start Friday night as USC Upstate (8-1) defeated Western Kentucky University 12-7 in the series opener at Cleveland S. Harley Park. Marks went six innings giving up just two runs and striking out 10 Hilltopper batters to improve to 3-0 on the year.

The Spartans are riding a six-game winning streak and have scored 10 or more runs in the last three of those games. The squad has also won the past four games by a margin of at least five runs.

Upstate was led at the plate tonight by Jack Hennessy who went 4-for-4 with a walk. He was also aggressive in his base running as he had three stolen bases and a pair of runs. Devin Buckner extended his hit streak to six games with a single to right in the bottom of the first inning. Ben Olson was also big at the plate tonight with a double and a two-run single.

SCORING BREAKDOWN
B3:  Hennessy walked before WKU's pitcher hit Jason Matthews and Jeff Taylor back-to-back to load the bases, and Cameron MacIntosh came through with a timely two-run single up the middle to score Hennessy and Matthews and tie things up at 2-2.

B4:  Olson led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to left and advanced to third on Jack Gallagher's sac bunt. Hennessy then singled through the 3-4 hole to drive in Olson for a 3-2 lead.

B5: MacIntosh was hit by a pitch to reach base before Julian Rip walked, forcing a WKU pitching change. The new pitcher then walked Mason Stewart to load the bases. Ben Olson placed a shot in shallow center field to knock in MacIntosh and Rip.

Stewart and Olson both advanced on a wild pitch to set Gallagher up for a double squeeze to give Upstate a 7-2 lead.

B6: The Spartans put up four more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Taylor drew a leadoff walk before MacIntosh was hit by a pitch and Rip walked to once again load the bases. With another new pitcher on the mound for WKU, all runners advanced on a wild pitch including Taylor who crossed the plate.

Stewart then dropped a shot over the second baseman's head to plate MacIntosh and Rip. Stewart then took second on a single from Gallagher before advancing to third on Hennessy's successful bunt and scored on yet another wild pitch from WKU to put the Spartans up 11-2.

B8: The Hilltoppers got five runs back in the top of the eighth, but Upstate added another run in the bottom of the inning as Hennessy recorded his fourth hit of the night, a double down the left field line, before making it home on Matthews' single up the middle to make it 12-7.

UP next for the Spartans
The Spartans take on the Hilltoppers in game two on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

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