Wednesday's MatchUP
February 23, 2022 | 3:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (2-1; 0-0 Big South) vs. Western Carolina (4-0; 0-0 SoCon)
Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | Western Carolina
RHP Trey Miller (0-0; 3.00 ERA) | RHP Davis Mortland (0-0; 0.00 ERA; Redshirted in 2021)
 
Series History
Meeting for a midweek contest Wednesday, USC Upstate and Western Carolina are meeting for the second time in the Spartans' Division I era (2007-pres.). The Spartans and Catamounts met for a single game in 2020, a 5-2 Western Carolina victory, on March 6, 2020. The game was one of three scheduled meetings between the two clubs during the 2020 season before the Covid-19 Global Pandemic cancelled the final two games.
 
Last Time Out
Upstate: vs. Ohio (L, 9-6; W, 8-2; W, 14-2)
Western Carolina: vs. Niagara (W, 22-3; W, 17-3; W, 18-6; W, 15-0)
 
Players to Watch
Upstate:
Pitcher: Making his first start of the season, right-hander Trey Miller is looking to build upon a solid relief outing last Saturday versus Ohio in which he tossed 3.0 innings for his first save of the season. He surrendered just three hits and one run during his outing, limiting the Bobcats to four or fewer plate appearances per inning of work. He recorded eight of his nine outs on the ground, inducing a double play in his first inning of work.
 
Player: Earning the first Big South Player of the Week honors of the 2022 season, first baseman Devin Buckner led the Spartans in all three slash line categories last week, posting a line of .545/.615/.909 against Ohio. He reached base nine times, scoring in eight of his trips to the base paths while going 6-of-11 at the plate. He capped his weekend with a 2-for-3 day at the plate Sunday, slugging his second career grand slam to ignite a 10-run fifth inning.
 
Western Carolina:
Pitcher: After taking a redshirt last season, right-hander Davis Mortland will be making his first career appearance for the Catamounts Wednesday afternoon.
 
Position Player: Out of the sixth spot in the Catamounts order last weekend, centerfielder Bryson Parks led Western Carolina in hits and runs scored with 10 apiece. He finished his weekend (four games), 10-of-19 at the plate with three doubles, a home run, six RBI, and 10 runs scored. After going 0-for-4 on opening day, he finished his weekend with three or more hits in the final three games of the series with Niagara, including a 4-for-6 day with two doubles in game three.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
Following the season's first midweek contest, Upstate returns home this weekend for the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic. The three-day event, in conjunction with Presbyterian, sees Manhattan, Boston College, and George Mason flock to Cleveland S. Harley Park Friday through Sunday.
 
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