BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – USC Upstate freshman second base Tiffany Domingue (York, S.C.) roped an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Marisa Soterakis (Miramar, Fla.) from third base, as the knocked off No. 3 Longwood 5-4 in the first game of the Big South Tournament.
 
With the win today, the Spartans advance to the winner's bracket game at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow and will face top seeded Campbell. USC Upstate (27-15) is now 2-0 in Big South Tournament games played on Thursday. The Spartans defeated Radford 5-0 in the first game of the Big South Tournament in 2019.
 
Mason Basdikis drew a leadoff walk and then moved into scoring position on a stolen base. Following an error by Domingue the Lancers had a pair of runners on the bases. On a stolen base attempt by Destiny Martinez, USC Upstate catcher Peyton Darnell (Fort Mill, S.C.) threw the ball into the outfield and allowed Basdikis to score. One batter later Alexis Wayland hit a two run homerun to put the Lancers up 3-0.
 
With one out in the inning, Grigsby walked and then stole second to move into scoring position. Grigsby moved to third on a wild pitch and came around to score on a fielding error by Longwood. Darnell reached on a fielding as Domingue moved all the way to third on the play. Olivia Marshall (Mooresville, N.C.) came into the game to run for Darnell. Marshall stole second to move into scoring positon.
 
Bre Cooper (Massillon, Ohio) hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Domingue from third and advanced Marshall in the process. An RBI single from Lanoux scored Marshall from third base and the game was tied at three.
 
Neither side threatened again until the bottom of the fifth inning, Grigsby was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive. Domingue came through with an RBI triple down the right field line to give the Spartans the go ahead run.   
 
In the top of the sixth inning, Leah Powell tied the game with a two out homerun to centerfield. Then in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Spartans began to come alive. Soterakis began the inning, by getting drilled in the hip by a pitch. Alexa Sanchez (Miami, Fla.) laid down a sacrifice bunt with two strikes to move Soterakis into scoring position. Following back-to-back walks by Price and Grigsby, the bases were loaded for Domingue. The freshman infielder stepped to the plate and crushed a single through the left side of the infield to score the winning run for the Spartans.

Mallie Brown (Stockbridge, Ga.) picked up the complete game win and earned her 12th victory of the season in the process. The junior pitcher allowed 3 hits, 3 Earned Runs, 2 BB and 7 strikeouts.   
 
USC Upstate 5, Longwood 4

Scoring Breakdown
Top 1^st: Mason Basdikis scored on a throwing error from Darnell. Moments later Alexis Wayland hit a two-run homerun to give the Lancers a 3-0 lead.
 
Bottom 1^st: Tiffany Domingue reached on a fielding error by Sydney Jacobsen and allowed Savannah Grigsby to score the first run of the game for the Spartans. A sacrifice fly from Bre Cooper brought in a second run and Madison Lanoux singled in a run to tie the game at three.  
 
Bottom 5^th: Tiffany Domingue tripled in Grigsby for the go ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Top 6^th: Leah Powell tied the game at four with a homerun to centerfield.

Bottom 7^th: With the bases loaded, Domingue stepped to the plate and ripped a single through the left side of the infield to win the game for the Spartans.

Notables
Domingue: 2-4, 1 run, 2 RBI's
Cooper: RBI
Lanoux: 2-3, RBI
Williams: 1-2
Brown: W, 7.0 IP, 3 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K's

UP next for the Spartans
USC Upstate will face Campbell at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon in the Winner's bracket. If the Spartans win they will advanced to the Championship game on Saturday, if they lose the Spartans will have to play an elimination game against the loser of Radford/Longwood at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow night.  
 
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