SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate baseball swept a Friday night doubleheader against Longwood University by scores of 10-3 and 13-5 to improve to 26-9 (17-9 BSC) this season.
Jordan Marks and Sean Hupp each had solid outings on the mound while Robby McGaha led the way offensively, batting 4-for-5 with a double and five RBI. Devin Buckner went 3-for-5 on the day with two doubles, four runs scored and a pair of RBI. Julian Rip and Jack Hennessy also had four hits apiece on the day.
"It was a good day at the ballpark today. We got two wins, and that's what we came here to do. We started fast offensively and did some good things at the plate in the first game, and took advantage of some free stuff from Longwood. I like how we responded offensively in the second game as well. A lot of different guys had really good days at the plate, and some guys came off the bench and gave us some good pinch-hit at-bats. We had a lot of contribution over the course of these two games, and that's what we want to see. We want to be a well-rounded club, and I thought we played better defense today. I'm excited about the start to the weekend, and we've got to come ready to win game three," said head coach Mike McGuire.
GAME ONE
Marks pitched another gem for the Spartans in the first game of the day to pick up his league-best seventh win of the season. He went 8.0 innings and retired the Lancers in order in four of those innings while striking out 10 batters for the third time this season. Marks didn't allow a single walk in his day of work and gave up just six hits and a pair of runs. Ethan McCarty appeared in the ninth before Will Lancaster stepped in to get the last out of the game.
Upstate was aggressive on the bases in the first game as the Spartans swiped seven bags, led by Hennessy who stole two. Hennessy also had two hits and two RBI in the game, along with Noah Rabon. McGaha tallied a pair of RBI in the game, and he and Rabon stole a base as well.
The Spartans started fast as a double steal in the first inning by Jason Matthews and Buckner set Rabon up for a two-RBI single up the middle to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Upstate added two more in the fourth on a two-out, two-RBI single to left for Hennessy.
The Lancers got a pair of runs back in the top of the sixth, but the Spartans responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Damon Maynard led off with a single to the gap in right center, and then the Longwood pitching staff would walk three and hit two batters to allow Upstate to take an 8-2 lead.
Following another double steal, a two-RBI single to left center from McGaha in the bottom of the seventh would push Upstate's lead to 10-2, and Longwood would muster up just one more run in the game in the top of the ninth.
Freshman Easton Cullison recorded his first collegiate hit in the game with a single to shallow right center in the bottom of the eighth.
GAME TWO
Nate Payne got the start on the mound in the second game of the day, and he put the Lancers down in order in the top of the first. Sean Hupp took over in the top of the third and went on to throw 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts to pick up the win and improve to 3-2 on the year. He allowed just four hits, one walk, and one run.
Derek Sivec and Jake Cubbler combined to strike out the side in the ninth and end the game.
The Spartans once again got out to a 2-0 lead in the first after Hennessy reached on an error by the Longwood third baseman and made it to third on Buckner's first double of the game. Hennessy then crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and Buckner was pushed home on an RBI single to right from Jack Gallagher.
Longwood evened things up in the top of the second, but Upstate responded in the bottom half of the inning as Maynard drew a leadoff walk and scored on Rip's standup triple off the wall in center field. Rip made it home on Hennessy's groundout to short in the very next at-bat to retake the lead at 4-2.
The Lancers once again tied things up in the third, and this time, the Spartans would answer back with eight runs across the middle three innings. With two outs and runners on first and second in the bottom of the fourth, McGaha ripped a shot to left field that would have just been an RBI single, however, the ball slipped under the left fielder's glove and went all the way to the wall, allowing McGaha to make it all the way around the bases to put the Spartans up 7-4.
Longwood walked three and hit a batter in the bottom of the fifth, and with bases loaded and two outs, McGaha doubled through the left side to drive in two more runs which extended Upstate's lead to 11-4.
Rip singled right back to the pitcher and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, and Longwood got a run back off an RBI double in the top of the eighth. Gallagher drove in one more run for the Spartans in the bottom of the inning to make it 13-5.
UP Next for the Spartans
The Spartans will look for the series sweep in game three, currently scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. Be sure to follow @UpstateBSB on twitter for the latest weather-related schedule changes.
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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