SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate baseball completed the series sweep over Longwood Sunday afternoon with a 13-3 win at Cleveland S. Harley Park. After being tied up at three in the fifth inning, the Spartans plated 10 unanswered runs to improve to 27-9 (18-9 BSC) this season.
"This was a weekend we needed to help push us toward the top of the standings. To have a chance to get the sweep today and then to come out and do it was big. I liked the way Alex Garbrick pitched, and I thought Kevin Davis and Austin Morgan were good out of the bullpen for us, and that was good to see. Offensively, I liked what we did all weekend. I thought we took advantage of free stuff and had some good situational at-bats. It was a good weekend for us, and now we have to get ready for next weekend," said head coach Mike McGuire.
Alex Garbrick got the start on the mound and gave a solid 6.0 innings to pick up his fifth win of the season. He struck out a pair in the first and put the Lancers down in order, and stranded two runners in the second with another pair of strikeouts. Garbrick didn't allow a run until the fourth inning, and that would end up being the lone earned run allowed the whole day. He ended his outing with eight strikeouts and just one walk.
Kevin Davis entered to start off the bottom of the seventh and retired the side in order, and gave the Spartans 2.0 innings of relief before Austin Morgan closed it out in the ninth.
It was another strong offensive effort for Upstate as nine different Spartans scattered 14 hits across the game. Five Spartans tallied multi-hit performances, and Jason Matthews led the way with four RBI. Devin Buckner drove in a pair of runs while Noah Rabon, Damon Maynard, and Julian Rip each knocked in a run as well.
For the third game in a row, Upstate jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jack Hennessy led things off with a single to short, took second on a passed ball, and made it to third on a fly out to left from Matthews. Buckner then got the Spartans on the board with an RBI standup double to centerfield before Rabon extended his on-base streak to 27 games with a single right back up the middle that plated Buckner to put the Spartans up 2-0.
The Spartans added another run in the third as Maynard singled up the middle with one out, Rip wore his 13th pitch of the year, and Hennessy walked to load the based before each runner advanced on a wild pitch.
The Lancers responded with seven hits across the fourth and fifth innings, and were able to plate three runs to make it a tied ballgame. However, Upstate answered that with a six-hit, five-run effort in the bottom of the sixth, starting with a leadoff single to right from Jeff Taylor. Easton Cullison pushed Taylor to third with a short single through the right side, and Rip was able to drive in Taylor and reach base off an error by the Longwood third baseman. Hennessy was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Matthews ripped a bases-clearing double down the left field line before taking third on the throw. After that, Buckner knocked in his second run of the game with a single right back up the middle to score Matthews and put the Spartans up 8-3. Matthews later recorded his fourth RBI of the day with a sac fly to left in the bottom of the seventh.
The Spartans plated four more runs in the eighth as a leadoff double for Jack Gallagher followed by a single through the right side for Robby McGaha got runners on the corners with no outs to set Maynard up for a one-out RBI single to left. An errant throw by the Lancer third baseman allowed two more runs to score, and then Hennessy later took advantage of a wild pitch to cross the plate and make it 13-3.
UP Next for the Spartans
The Spartans continue their home stand next weekend when they host PC for a three-game series. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST on Friday, April 30, and games two and three of the series will follow on Saturday, May 1, with first pitch of the doubleheader scheduled for 2 p.m. EST. The Spartans and Blue Hose have already met twice this season, and the Spartans came away with the win in both games by scores of 13-0 and 11-8.
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.
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 | @UpstateBSB @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateBSB @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
