Tuesday's MatchUP
April 12, 2022 | 6:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (18-14; 7-5 Big South) vs. Clemson (19-12; 2-9 ACC)
Fluor Field | Greenville, S.C.
 
TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | Clemson
RHP Nate Payne (0-0; 2.57 ERA) | RHP Billy Barlow (1-2; 4.55 ERA)
 
Series History
Tuesday's meeting between USC Upstate and Clemson marks the seventh all-time meeting between the two clubs in the Spartans' Division I era (2007-pres.). Overall, the Tigers lead the series 5-1 after taking the first meeting between the teams in 2022 with an 8-5 victory on March 1.
 
Last Time Out
USC Upstate: vs. Campbell (L, 17-2; L, 14-9; L, 11-6)
Clemson: vs. No. 6 Notre Dame (L, 4-1; L, 8-1; L, 9-3)
 
Players to Watch
Upstate:
Pitcher: Making his first start of the 2022 season and his 10^th appearance on the mound, redshirt junior right-hander Nate Payne takes the ball for the Spartans against Clemson. He enters the midweek game sporting a 2.57 ERA and .196 opponent's batting average over 14.0 innings while collecting 11 strikeouts against five walks. Tuesday's start marks the third of Payne's Spartan career after making starts against Gardner-Webb (April 10, 2021) and Charleston Southern (April 17, 2021) last season.
 
Position Player: Entering Tuesday's game, freshman designated hitter Noah Sullivan is riding a team-long 16-game reached base streak. He leads Upstate in batting average, hitting .336 (41-of-122) on the season with his 41 hits tied for second-most by a player in the Big South this season. Sullivan has collected a multi-hit game on 15 occasions this season, a total that leads the Spartans.
 
Clemson:
Pitcher: For the second time in as many games against the Spartans this season, righty Billy Barlow gets the start for Clemson in the midweek. He tossed 4.1 innings, surrendering five hits and two runs with one walk and four strikeouts in his first start against Upstate. Overall, he holds a 4.55 ERA and a 1-2 record over nine appearances and seven starts this season, collecting 28 strikeouts over 27.2 innings of work.
 
Position Player: Leading Clemson at the plate this season, utility man Cooper Ingle enters Tuesday's game atop the Tiger club in batting average, hitting .364 (43-for-118) this season. Of his 43 hits this season, 11 have gone for extra bases, including five home runs, while he's driven in 25 runs while scoring a team-best 30. In the Tigers' first game against Upstate, Ingle went 2-for-5 with a double, RBI, and run scored.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
Following Tuesday's midweek, Upstate returns to Cleveland S. Harley Park over Easter weekend, hosting Big South foe Charleston Southern. The Spartans and Buccaneers meet in a three-game series that opens Thursday evening. First pitches are set for 6 p.m. ET Thursday and Friday before the series wraps with a 2 p.m. first pitch Saturday.
 
JOIN UP
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes! Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!
 
Sparty's Ball and Auction:
Reserve your tickets for Sparty's Ball and Auction featuring The Andrews Brothers Dueling Pianos, Saturday, May 21, 2022, at upstatespartans.com/spartysball.

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