SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Opening day is just a day away, as the USC Upstate softball team laces up their cleats for the first time this season against Dayton and North Carolina Central this weekend.
 
For the third consecutive season, the Spartans were picked to finish second in the Big South Preseason Poll. A young core of players return for the Spartans in Savannah Grigsby (Elgin, S.C.), Sarah Price (Landrum, S.C.), Tiffany Domingue (York, S.C.), Peyton Darnell (Fort Mill, S.C.), Mallie Brown (Stockbridge, Ga.) and Savannah Brown (Charlotte, N.C.).
 
Last season Grigsby, ranked 9th nationally in sacrifice flies and she led the Spartans with a .378 batting average. The sophomore ranked third in the Big South in RBI's (24) and total hits (28). Price ranked 9th nationally in stolen bases per game (0.75) and she led the team in runs scored (20). The Palmetto State native also led the team in triples and ranked second in the Big South in steals with 18.
 
Both Domingue and Darnell burst onto the scene for the Spartans last season as everyday starters. Domingue led the team in extra base hits (9), total bases (42), and she ranked 6th in the Big South in both hits (27) and RBI's (21). Meanwhile, Darnell earned Big South Freshman of the Week honors (March 9th) and finished second on the team in batting average (.365). Darnell, ended the season tied for second on the team in extra base hits (7) and third on the team in RBI's (16).
 
Mallie and Savannah Brown return to anchor a young Spartan pitching staff. Together the two pitchers combined to go 7-0 with six starts between the two. Mallie Brown pitched the third most innings on the team last year with 36.1 and she finished with a team low opponent batting average of .199.
 
Last season, the Spartans were off to a 17-7 start and an impressive 14-1 record at home. In fact, USC Upstate is 41-2 at Cyrill Stadium since the start of the 2019 campaign. On February 22, the Spartans defeated the University of Maine in a 6-0 shutout to collect their 250th win of the decade (2011-2020). USC Upstate boasts the top home record in the Palmetto State with a 255-47 home record since the start of the 2011 season.
 
Despite the shortened season, the Spartans were still able to rank in the Top-50 nationally in a multitude of categories. USC Upstate ranked 7th nationally in stolen bases per game (2.42), 9th nationally in fielding percentage (.978) and 16th nationally in shutouts (8). The Spartans also ranked 45th nationally in winning percentage (.708) and 49th nationally in Earned Run Average (2.44).
 
USC Upstate will play Dayton in a double header on Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. This is the second time Dayton has participated in the Upstate Classic and this will be their third trip to Cyrill Stadium. The Spartans are 2-1 all-time against Dayton and USC Upstate won the last meeting 6-0 on March 4, 2017.
 
On Sunday afternoon, the Spartans will face-off against North Carolina Central for the 11^th time since the 2011 season. USC Upstate is 10-0 against the Eagles and they have outscored North Carolina Central 91-6 over the same time span. Last season, the Spartans swept the Eagles in a mid-week double header at Cyrill Stadium.
 
Tournament Schedule
February 12        Dayton vs USC Upstate                 1:00 p.m.
February 12        Dayton vs USC Upstate                 3:00 p.m.
February 13        N.C. Central vs Dayton                   12:00 p.m. (Neutral Site Game)
February 13        Dayton vs N.C. Central                   2:00 p.m. (Neutral Site Game)
February 14        N.C. Central vs USC Upstate         12:00 p.m.
February 14        N.C. Central vs USC Upstate         12:00 p.m.
*Note all games are subject to change due to inclement weather
 
Live stats will be provided for all games on https://upstatespartans.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary and all USC Upstate games will be shown on ESPN+ this weekend.
 
JOIN UP
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!
 
Keep UP with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter: @UpstateMBB
Instagram: @upstatesoftball
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans