SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate softball team went 1-1 on Sunday afternoon with an 8-1 win over Saint Francis and a 5-3 loss to Marshall in the tournament finale at Cyrill Stadium.
 
USC Upstate (2-1) opened up the day with an 8-1 run-rule victory over Saint Francis in the second game of the day. The Spartans led from start to finish as they scored five runs in the first three innings of the contest. Freshman outfielder Max Barnes (Purcellville, Va.) highlighted the Spartans offense with a 4-for-4 day at the plate with 4 RBI's against the Red Flash.
 
In the second game of the afternoon the Spartans were bombarded by a Marshall offense that launched a trio of homeruns out of Cyrill Stadium in the night cap. The Spartans fought their way back multiple times but came up on the short end of a 5-3 loss to the Thundering Herd. Freshman Tiffany Domingue (York, S.C.) went 2-for-4 in the contest.
 
Game 1: USC Upstate 8, Saint Francis 1

SCORING BREAKDOWN

Bottom 1^st: Sarah Price began the inning with a leadoff single to left field, Price promptly stole second base and the Spartans had an early runner in scoring position. Marisa Soterakis grounded out to the shortstop and advanced Price to third base in the process. Domingue laced a ball back up the middle of the infield for the first run of the ball game for the Spartans.
 
Top 2^nd: In the top half of the inning the Spartans got into a bit of a jam with a bases loaded situation. Thankfully the only run that came across was from an RBI walk by Ashley Wruble.
 
Bottom 2^nd: With one away in the bottom of the second, Barnes doubled to left field to give the Spartans there second runner in scoring position on the afternoon. Savannah Grigsby took advantage and ripped an RBI single into right field to put the Spartans back on top.
 
Bottom 3^rd: With two outs Alicia Dorgan stepped to the plate with a pair of runners on the base paths. Dorgan delivered with a two-run double to right center field. Barnes kept the offense going with an RBI single to right center field.
 
Bottom 5^th: Peyton Darnell hit a leadoff single to centerfield, a pinch runner came in for Darnell following the single. Dorgan singled to center field to put a pair of runners on for USC Upstate. Barnes came through once again with an RBI bunt double.
 
Bottom 6^th: With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning Barnes stepped to the plate once more and once again delivered for the Spartans. This time the freshman came through with a two-RBI double to left center field.

NOTABLES
Max Barnes led the offense with a 4-for-4 day at the plate with four RBI's. Both Alicia Dorgan and Tiffany Domingue finished with multi-hit games against St. Francis.
 
Mallie Brown picked up her first career win inside the circle. Brown pitched five complete innings and struck out a quartet of batters while only surrendering a single one in the outing. Senior Celina Sullivan pitched a pair of scoreless innings to close out the win for the Spartans.

Game 2: USC Upstate 3, Marshall 5
 
SCORING BREAKDOWN
 
Top 3^rd: Aly Harrell reached base after being hit by a pitch. Mya Stevenson smacked a two-run homerun and gave Marshall the early advantage.
 
Bottom 4^th: The Spartans struck back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Domingue reached on an infield single and Dorgan walked to put runners on first and second. Alyssa Oakes laid down a perfectly placed sacrificed bunt to move the runners over. The Thundering Herd then walked four consecutive batters to allow the Spartans to tie the game at two.
 
Top 5^th: Sierra Huerta homered with one out in the inning to put Marshall back on top.
 
Top 7^th: With one out in the top of the seventh inning Blakely Burch laced a two-run homerun over the fence to give the Thundering Herd a 5-2 advantage over the Spartans.
 
Bottom 7^th: The Spartans began a comeback in the bottom half of the inning. The first two runners reached and then Oakes loaded the bases with one out in the inning. Bella Bertot hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to pull the Spartans within a pair. Barnes popped out to first to end the game.
 
NOTABLES
Tiffany Domingue was the only Spartan with a multi-hit performance in the second game against Marshall.

UP next for the Spartans
The Spartans will be back in action this Wednesday at Cyrill Stadium against North Carolina Central. The double-header is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.

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