JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.  – For just the second time this season the USC Upstate softball was swept in a double-header, this time the Spartans fell to East Tennessee State on the road at Betty Basler Field on Wednesday afternoon.
 
In the first game of the afternoon the USC Upstate (16-5, 6-0 Big South) softball team fell 7-5 to the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State University (11-6). The Spartans raced out to a 3-0 lead on a pair of miscues by the Buccaneers defense. ETSU got a run back in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot to left field. The Spartans entered the bottom of the fifth inning with a 5-1 lead, but gave up three consecutive homeruns to give ETSU the lead. In the top of the seventh inning, the Spartans threatened but ended the game with the bases loaded.
 
In the second game of the double-header, ETSU got out to an early lead with a solo homerun in the bottom of the first inning. The Buccaneers added a in the bottom of the second off a pair of fielding errors by the Spartans defense. The Upstate offense came alive in the top of the fourth inning when Marisa Soterakis (Miramar, Fla.) hit a two-run double and Bre Cooper (Massillon, Ohio) smashed a two-run homerun to give the Spartans a 4-2 advantage. ETSU scored a run in the bottom of the fifth and four run sixth inning gave the Buccaneers the lead. The Spartans once again started a rally in the top of the seventh inning but RBI's by Tiffany Domingue (York, S.C.) and Madison Lanoux (Fleming Island, Fla.) were not enough for USC Upstate.   
 
Game 1: USC Upstate 5, ETSU 7

Scoring Breakdown
 
Top 3^rd: Celeste Delorenzo (Ormond Beach, Fla.) hit a one out single in the top of the third inning for the Spartans and advanced to second after Marisa Soterakis was hit by a pitch. Delorenzo and Soterakis moved up 60 feet after a throwing error by the ETSU pitcher loaded up the bases. Delorenzo came around to score on an RBI fielder's choice. A two out single by Tiffany Domingue put the Spartans up by a pair of runs and Sarah Price came in to score on a fielding error by the second baseman.
 
Bottom 3^rd: Julia Fritz hit a leadoff homerun to left field to give the Buccaneers their first run of the game.
 
Top 5^th: With two outs in the inning, Domingue once again stepped to the plate with a pair of runners on. The freshman came through with a two-run single to center field.
 
Bottom 5^th: With the bases loaded and just one out in the inning, Nikki Grupp stepped to the plate and hit a grand slam to tie the game at five. Lili Bowen and Kylie Toler then hit back-to-back homeruns to give the Buccaneers the lead.     

Notables 
Domingue: 2-4, 3 RBI's
Cooper: 1-3, 2 runs
Delorenzo: 1-1 with a run scored

Game 2: USC Upstate 6, ETSU 7

Scoring Breakdown
 
Bottom 1^st: Alana Collins broke the scoreless tie with a homerun in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Bottom 2^nd: Faith Adams walked and one batter later came around to score after a throwing error by the Spartans defense.
 
Top 4^th: Madison Lanoux began the inning with a leadoff double to left center field. Delorenzo singled to left field and moved Lanoux over to third base. Delorenzo moved over into scoring position after stealing second. Soterakis hit a two-run double down the left field line to tie the game at two. Cooper then smashed a two run to left center field to give the Spartans the lead.  
 
Bottom 5^th: Lilly Holston doubled to left center with one out in the inning and came around to score on an RBI single by Lili Bowen.
 
Bottom 6^th: Kasidy Dunn doubled to left center field to tie the game and Nikki Grupp hit a three run double to right center field to end the scoring for the Buccaneers.
 
Top 7^th: Sarah Price (Landrum, S.C.) singled to center field and moved to second on a wild pitch. Domingue doubled up the middle and scored Price from second. Domingue moved over to third on a ground out from Peyton Darnell. Lanoux hit a deep sacrifice fly to left field to score Domingue from third.  

Notables
Cooper: 3-4, 1 run and 2 RBI's
Domingue: 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI
Lanoux: 2-2, 1 run, 1 RBI
Soterakis: 1-2, 1 run, 2 RBI
 
UP next for the Spartans
The Spartans will return to action next Wednesday afternoon at Western Carolina, first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
 
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