FARMVILLE, VA.  – For the first time since moving to the Big South Conference the USC Upstate softball team defeated Longwood 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at Lancer Field.
 
Following a pair of close games on Saturday afternoon, the Spartans won the regular season finale against the Lancers on Sunday afternoon. Sophomore catcher Peyton Darnell (Fort Mill, S.C.) ended the scoreless tie with a leadoff homerun in the top of the second inning.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, Sydney Jacobsen hit an infield single to keep the inning alive for the Lancers. Nia Green drove in Jacobsen with a double to right center field. The game did not stay tied for long however, as the Spartans offense came alive in the top of the fourth inning.
 
Tiffany Domingue (York, S.C.) began the inning by reaching on a throwing error. Domingue moved into scoring position following a sacrifice bunt from Darnell. Madison Lanoux (Fleming Island, Fla.) drew a one out walk and Domingue came around to score on an RBI single through the right side of the infield.
 
Marisa Soterakis (Miramar, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive for the Spartans. Celeste Delorenzo (Ormond Beach, Fla.) singled through the left side of the infield to score Lanoux from third. A few batters later, Soterakis came around to score on a Sarah Price (Landrum, S.C.) RBI walk.
 
Back-to-back singles by Taylor and Basdikis started the sixth inning for the Lancers. A sacrifice bunt from Martinez moved both runners up 60 feet. Wayland and Jacobsen each recorded a pair of RBI's to pull within a run of the Spartans.
 
Starting pitcher Mallie Brown (Stockbridge, Ga.) ended the game with her ninth and tenth strikeouts of the afternoon. The junior pitcher picked up her 11^th win in the process.
 
USC Upstate 4, Longwood 3

Scoring Breakdown
Top 2^nd: Peyton Darnell homered to left center field to break the scoreless tie.  
 
Bottom 3^rd: Nia Green tied the game with a double to right center field.
 
Top 4^th: Bre Cooper gave the Spartans the lead with a single through the right side of the infield, one batter later and Delorenzo added an RBI with a single through the left side of the infield. Sarah Price added an RBI walk to end the scoring for the Spartans.
 
Bottom 6^th: RBI's from Wayland and Jacobsen ended the scoring for the Lancers in the sixth inning.

Notables
Price: 0-3, RBI
Darnell: 3-3, Run, RBI
Cooper: 2-4, RBI
Brown: 7.0 IP, 7 hits, 3 ER, 10K's, 155 pitches

UP next for the Spartans
USC Upstate will face Longwood on Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Big South Tournament in Boiling Springs, N.C.
 
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