Weekend Series MatchUP
Game 1: Friday, April 9 | 4:00 p.m. EST
Game 2: Saturday, April 10 | 2:00 p.m. EST
Game 3: Saturday, April 10 | 5:30 p.m. EST
USC Upstate (19-6, 11-6 BSC) vs. Gardner-Webb University (11-11, 10-4 BSC)
Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
*All games subject to change based on weather. Follow @UpstateBSB on Twitter for the most recent updates.

TV: ESPN3 | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
PxP: Lenny Mathis
Color: Scott Netkovick

Projected Starting Pitchers
Game 1: RHP Jordan Marks [5-1, 1.72 ERA, 55K] vs RHP Mason Miller [3-1, 3.03 ERA, 41K]
Game 2: TBA vs RHP Bobby Alcock [2-1, 5.06 ERA, 21K]
Game 3: TBA vs RHP Kyle Ruehlman [1-0, 6.00 ERA, 6K]

Series History
The Spartans and Runnin' Bulldogs have met 24 times in their series history, and the Bulldogs lead the all-time series 15-9. The series goes all the way back to the first meeting on April 4, 2008 when the Runnin' Bulldogs defeated the Spartans 13-6 in Boiling Springs, N.C. Additionally, the Spartans come into this weekend's series looking to snap a six-game skid against GWU dating back to March 29, 2017.

Last Time Out
The Spartans are coming off a huge 9-3 road win against No. 12 Georgia Tech this past Tuesday in which Upstate jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. Following a Georgia Tech solo shot in the third to make it 3-1, the Spartans ripped off four runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to extend their lead to 8-1. The Yellow Jackets responded with another solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 8-2, and the two sides would once again trade blows in the eighth to bring the score to 9-3. The five runs that the Spartans added in the fifth and sixth innings continued their trend of scoring runs in the middle innings, and it brings their season total to runs scored in innings 4-6 to 78. The Spartans' continued success at the plate on Tuesday was truly a team effort, as all nine starting hitters recorded at least one hit. Jack Hennessy led the way for the Spartans at the plate with a 3-for-6 day and a run scored. In addition to the consistency at the plate, the Spartans' pitching staff put together a strong effort on the day, beginning with starting pitcher Sawyer Worrell. Worrell delivered 2.1 innings of work before making way for Jake Cubbler, who tossed two shutout innings and picked up his first win of the season in the process. Derek Sivec entered to get the Spartans out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth, and Sean Hupp entered in the sixth and carried the Spartans the rest of the way with eight strikeouts.

Gardner-Webb enters the weekend series following a 12-2 home defeat against Western Carolina this past Wednesday. The Runnin' Bulldogs found themselves trailing 3-1 after the first inning, and despite cutting the deficit to 3-2 in the second inning, were unable to make up enough ground against the Catamounts.

Ones to Watch
Upstate:

• Junior RHP Jordan Marks continues to lead from the front for the Spartans' pitching staff, and he'll look to continue what has been a dominant season this weekend. Marks' 1.72 ERA and 55 strikeouts lead all Spartan starting pitchers, and he enters this weekend's series after allowing just one run while recording eight strikeouts in seven innings of work in his most recent appearance last Friday against Radford. Marks' stellar season is also reflected in his statistical rankings within the Big South Conference, as he currently leads the conference in strikeouts (55) and wins (5), is second in ERA (1.72), and is fifth in opposing batting average (.206). Marks is also currently tied for 17th in Division I in strikeouts, and is 20th in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.17).
• Sophomore outfielder Jack Hennessy continues to enjoy his strongest stretch of the season at the plate, and he enters the weekend following a 3-for-6 outing against Georgia Tech. Hennessy's recent success at the plate has seen his batting average improve to .338, which leads all qualified Spartan batters. Additionally, Hennessy's three hits against Georgia Tech extended his current hit streak to five games. He currently ranks fourth on the Spartans' roster in runs (17) and slugging percentage (.432), and fifth in hits (25).
• Freshman Noah Rabon continues to put in strong performances at the plate for the Spartans, and he's coming off a 2-for-5 outing against Georgia Tech in which he scored twice and added an RBI and a double. Rabon has proven to be a difficult out for opposing pitchers, as he enters the weekend having reached base safely in 16 consecutive games and having recorded a hit in 10 consecutive games. Rabon is currently third among qualified Spartan hitters in batting average at .326, second in hits and OPS at 30 and .902, respectively, and is tied for the team lead in doubles with 10. Additionally, Rabon's nose for extra base hits now sees him as the Spartans' leader in slugging percentage at .489. He also currently ranks fifth in the Big South Conference in hits.

Gardner-Webb:

• Junior Ben LaSpaluto enters the weekend as the Runnin' Bulldogs' leader at the plate, and he's coming off a strong 2-for-3 performance against Western Carolina in which he hit a double, a triple, and scored a run. LaSpaluto currently leads GWU in batting average (.318), OPS (.908), and slugging percentage (.530), and is second on the team in hits (21), and home runs (3). He enters the series riding a four-game hit streak dating back to the March 27 matchup with High Point.
• Senior pitcher and ace Mason Miller enters the weekend looking to build on what has been an impressive season on the mound thus far. Miller boasts a 3.03 ERA, and his 41 strikeouts lead the Running' Bulldogs and rank third in the Big South Conference. Additionally, opposing hitters are batting just .194 against Miller, which is good enough for second in the conference.

Notes

• The Spartans' success at the plate is reflected in the Big South Conference rankings, as Upstate currently leads the conference in hits (238), and ranks second in batting average (283), doubles (44), triples (8), RBI (138), slugging percentage (.386), hit-by-pitch (48), and on-base percentage (.379).
• In addition to their offensive success, the Spartan pitching staff also ranks highly within the Big South Conference statistical charts. Upstate leads the Big South Conference in ERA (2.44), runs allowed (68), earned runs allowed (60), strikeouts (232), and opposing batting average (.221). The defense behind the pitching staff has been rock-solid as well, and the Spartans lead the conference in fielding percentage at .980.
• National Rankings (DI): Third in team ERA (2.44), 10th in fielding percentage (.980), 10th in hit-by-pitch (48), 15th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.41), 33^rd in RPI.

UP Next for the Spartans
Upstate will travel to cross-town foe Wofford on Tuesday, April 13th, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. EST. The Spartans will be looking to improve to 5-0 in midweek matchups this season, and 11-0 in midweek matchups under head coach Mike McGuire.

Fan Experience Update
Upstate now sells beer at all Friday and Saturday home baseball games. Options include Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light Seltzer, RJ Rockers Hazy IPA, and RJ Rockers Son of a Peach. Please drink responsibly.

Home Game Attendance Information
Due to social distancing protocols for all outdoor venues at USC Upstate, attendance in the grandstands will be limited this spring. Fans are required to wear face coverings, and tailgate chairs are encouraged for fans to utilize the grass berms at Harley Baseball Park. Spectators will be asked not to congregate in groups of six or more and maintain at least six feet from others on the grass areas. Admission for these events is complimentary thanks to our on-going partnership with Ingles Markets. For more information, click here.

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