DELAND, Fla. – The USC Upstate softball team went 1-1 on Wednesday afternoon in a double-header against Stetson at Patricia Wilson Field.
With the series split on Wednesday afternoon the Spartans improve to 21-9 all-time against the Hatters. Stetson ended a six game losing streak to USC Upstate in game one of the double-header, but the Spartans rallied in the second game to split with the Hatters.
In game one of the afternoon the two teams ended up in a pitchers dual between the two squads. The Hatters struck first in the bottom of the third inning, Spartans starting pitcher
Erin Hill walked in the go-ahead run and in the next at-bat, Stetson singled back to the circle to put a pair of runs on the board. In the fourth inning the Hatters added an insurance run to cement the victory. USC Upstate was unable to get the offense rolling, with just two hits in the first game of the double-header.
In the second game of the afternoon Stetson struck first once again with a three-run first inning. By the end of the third inning the Hatters held a 5-1 advantage over the Spartans, but the Spartans did not waver in their attack at the plate. USC Upstate pounded out a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, then the Spartans broke the game open in the fifth inning. After a Stetson homerun cut the Spartans lead to 7-6, USC Upstate stayed focused and added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the victory.
Game One: Stetson 3, USC Upstate 0
Scoring Breakdown
Bottom 3rd: Molly McLaughlin was hit by a pitch to lead-off the bottom of the third inning. McLaughlin moved over to second on a Lizzie Shubert single to left field. A few batters later Stetson had the bases loaded with two outs in the inning. The Spartans walked in the go-ahead run and in the next at-bat Emma Morgan singled back to the circle to take a 2-0 advantage.
Bottom 4th: With two-outs in the inning Lizzie Shubert tripled down the right field line. Nyah Morgan doubled to right field to give Stetson a 3-0 lead.
Notables
Sarah Price led the offense with a 2-for-3 day at the plate.
Game Two: Stetson, USC Upstate
Scoring Breakdown
Bottom 1st: Riley Russell singled through the right side of the infield and then stole second to move into scoring position. McLaughlin walked and Russell moved to third base on a wild pitch. A few batters later Blake Crews doubled in a pair of runs to give Stetson the early advantage. Kara Saylor roped an RBI single in the next at-bat to end the scoring for Stetson.
Top 3rd: Sarah Price ripped a leadoff double to left centerfield and she moved to third on a
Savannah Grigsby single to right field.
Tiffany Domingue roped an RBI single to left field to cut the Hatters lead to two-runs.
Bottom 3rd: McLaughlin doubled to right center field to start the third inning, McLaughlin came around to score on a Shubert single to left field. A few batters later Crews singled down the line to score Shubert from third base.
Top 4th: Cheyenne Nunez kept the inning alive with a two out walk in the top of the fourth inning. Price singled to right field and Grigsby drove in both Price and Nunez with a two-run double to left center field.
Top 5th: The Spartans started out the fifth inning with a bang,
Peyton Darnell and
Madison Lanoux hit back-to-back singles to begin the inning.
Mallie Brown drew a four pitch walk to load up the bases with no outs in the inning.
Max Barnes hit an RBI single to center field to pull within a run of Stetson.
Alicia Dorgan picked up an RBI walk to give the Spartans a lead. Price and Grigsby both picked up RBI's at the end of the inning to give USC Upstate a 7-5 advantage.
Bottom 5th: With one out in the inning Shubert homered to left field to pull the Hatters within a run.
Top 7th: Barnes smoked a leadoff double to left field to start off the top of the seventh inning. Barnes came around to score on an RBI single from Dorgan. Grigsby ended the scoring with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Notables
Price filled up the stat sheet with a 4-for-4 day at the plate with a pair of runs, two stolen bases and an RBI in the victory for USC Upstate. Grigsby ended the day with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate with team high four RBI's in the contest. Barnes went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and Dorgan had a 1-for-2 outing at the plate with a pair of RBI's in the contest.
Mallie Brown picked up her sixth win of the season after she pitched four innings in relief. Brown gave up just one earned run off of a pair hits in the contest.
UP next for the Spartans
USC Upstate will stay on the road this coming weekend as they travel to Presbyterian College for the start of Big South Conference action. First pitch for the Saturday double-header will begin at 1:00 p.m. in Clinton, S.C.
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