ROCK HILL, S.C. – USC Upstate blanked Winthrop 5-0 Friday night in the series opener on the road behind a solid mound performance and a trio of RBI from Devin Buckner and a solo homerun from Jeff Taylor. Friday night was the fourth straight win and second consecutive shutout for the Spartans as they improved to a league-best 16-3 record overall and 9-3 record in Big South play.
"We got a good ballgame tonight out of Jordan Marks who had the mark of a good pitcher as he had some traffic in the middle innings and made some pitches with runners on base. I think that's one of the things that separates him from a lot of guys in the country. Sean Hupp was lights out to finish the game, and it's great to have him back healthy and in the mix for us. We did a little more offensively than what the box score shows tonight and we did some good situational things. It was a good start to the weekend. I like how we played, and we need to pick up where we left off tomorrow," said head coach Mike McGuire.
Jordan Marks threw 6.2 innings of shutout baseball to pick up his fourth win of the season and improve to 4-1. He allowed just five hits and one walk in his day of work while striking out 10 batters. He retired the side in order in the second and third inning and got out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth. Marks struck out both batters faced in the seventh to end his quality start.
Sean Hupp entered in the seventh with two outs and struck out the lone batter he faced in the inning. He went on to retire the side in order in the eighth and ninth for a solid relief performance.
Devin Buckner led the Spartans at the plate on the day, batting 2-for-4 with a sac fly and three RBI. Jeff Taylor, a Rock Hill, S.C. native, went yard in the sixth inning and came up with a sliding catch in left field late in the game.
A pair of singles to center by Jack Hennessy and Buckner got Upstate on the board in the top of the third as Hennessy reached, made it to second on a wild pitch, and was knocked in by Buckner.
Winthrop threatened in the bottom of the fourth with a runner on third and one out, but Marks struck out the next batter before Hennessy made a great catch in centerfield to get out of the inning with no damage.
The Spartans pushed their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth with Buckner's second RBI of the night on a sac fly to center followed by a hard-hit ball by Noah Rabon that the Winthrop shortstop couldn't cleanly field which drove in Damon Maynard.
Taylor launched his first homerun of the year over the wall in right center for a solo shot that put the Spartans up 4-0 in the top of the sixth.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Upstate tacked on another run as Matthews singled to left and Buckner blasted a double to the wall in centerfield to knock in Matthews for a 5-0 lead.
UP Next for the Spartans
The Spartans will look to keep things rolling tomorrow with a doubleheader against the Eagles. First pitch for game one of the twin bill is set for 1 p.m. with the series finale to follow at approximately 4:30 p.m.
Spartans Win Today, You Save Tomorrow!
Save 50% off online orders at Papa John's locations across the Upstate. Use the code USCUP50 when placing online orders the day after Upstate victories. Also tomorrow, visit The Beacon Drive-In located in Spartanburg and show the win graphic posted to the @UpstateSpartans Instagram account to claim a free sweet tea as part of the "Sweet Taste of Victory" promotion. No purchase necessary.
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