HIGH POINT, N.C. – USC Upstate right-handed pitcher Jordan Marks broke two school records and tied another record Friday night as the Spartans took a 10-6 series-opening win at High Point. With the win, Upstate improves to 31-10 (22-9 BSC), which is just two wins shy of the program's most wins in a single season in the Division I era. High Point drops to 14-22 (12-16 BSC) with the loss.
"It was a good ballgame tonight. On the mound, Jordan Marks showed the kind of pitcher he is. He didn't have the start to the game he wanted. [High Point] scored one in the first and two in the second, but they didn't score the rest of the way off of him. It was a big night of accomplishments for Jordan. I'm very fortunate to coach him, and he's got a bright future ahead," said head coach Mike McGuire. "Offensively, we had some good at-bats against Grey Lyttle. We took advantage of the free stuff and had some really timely hits and big at-bats. I like the way the series started. It was a good night for us, and we've got to come ready to play tomorrow."
With his fourth strikeout of the night in the fifth inning, Friday night ace Marks broke the school record for strikeouts in a single season, surpassing Tyler Jackson (2016) and Matt Branham (2010) on the all-time list with 87.
Additionally, with his league-best ninth win of the season, Marks broke a 31-year-old school record for wins in a single season. He also tied Scott Eckard's school record for career wins with 20. The junior from Bright's Grove, Ontario went 6.0 innings and allowed just one walk, three runs, and eight hits and improved to 9-1 on the year.
Sean Hupp picked it up in the bottom of the seventh and went the final 3.0 innings with a strikeout to earn his fourth save of the season.
Julian Rip led the Spartans at the plate on the day as he went 3-for-4 with five RBI and two doubles out of Upstate's four doubles as a team. He also scored two runs. Cameron MacIntosh had a multi-hit effort, batting 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Devin Buckner drew three walks on the night, and he leads the conference with 32 on the year. He also tallied a game-tying RBI double to tie the conference lead of 15 two-baggers this season.
The Panthers got on the board first after leading off the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles to set Cole Singsank up for a sac fly to right field. Upstate responded in the top of the second with a sac fly to right from Rip after the Spartans loaded bases with no outs on singles from Jack Gallagher and MacIntosh and a walk for Jeff Taylor. However, High Point quickly retook the lead with a two-run shot over the wall in right center in the bottom of the second.
The Spartans plated five runs off three doubles and a couple of free passes in the top of the fifth to take their first lead of the game. Rip led off with a double down the left field line before back-to-back RBI doubles from Noah Rabon and Buckner to tie things up at 3-3. High Point then walked three straight, including Taylor's second of the night that walked in a run, and forced a pitching change. Upstate plated two more runs on a fielder's choice and an error on the third baseman to go up 6-3.
Taylor led off the top of the seventh by reaching on High Point's third error of the game, and with two outs, Rip knocked Taylor in with a two-out single up the middle.
The Panthers got three runs back in the bottom of the eighth off a pair of homers to make it a 7-6 ballgame, but the top of the ninth saw a big response from the Spartans as they loaded the bases with one out before Rip drilled a bases-clearing double down the left field line to push Upstate's lead to 10-6.
UP Next for the Spartans
The Spartans will look to take the series against High Point tomorrow in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. The series finale will follow at approximately 5:30 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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