SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Continuing Homecoming weekend with many of the program's alumni in attendance Saturday, USC Upstate baseball secured a series-clinching victory over visiting High Point with a late-inning outburst in an 8-2 win at Cleveland S. Harley Park.
As was the case in game one of the series—and each of the prior five games—the Spartans pushed across a run in the first inning for the sixth straight game as senior second baseman
Cameron MacIntosh legged out a hustle double into center to score senior first baseman
Devin Buckner.
Upstate would add a run in the third as freshman catcher
Jace Rinehart drove home freshman designated hitter
Noah Sullivan. High Point clawed its way back with a run in the sixth and seventh to tie the game at two before the Spartans responded in a big way, plating six runs in the seventh to secure an 8-2 victory.
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 8; High Point 2
Records: USC Upstate (18-9; 7-1 Big South); High Point (9-18; 4-4 Big South)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
Scoring Summary
- B1: Legging out a hustle double on a ball hit back through the middle into centerfield, Cameron MacIntosh drove in Devin Buckner to secure Upstate its sixth straight game with a first-inning run.
- B3: Adding to Upstate's lead in the third, Jace Rinehart ripped a ball past the first baseman with runners on first and second as Noah Sullivan raced in to score with MacIntosh advancing to third.
- T6: With a double into the leftfield corner, Peyton Carr earned one run back for High Point, cutting the Spartans' lead in half.
- T7: Pinching hitting with two men on, Justin Ebert tied the game for the Panthers as he shot a ball through the right side of the infield, producing a run as Manny Echazaretta scored from second.
- B7: Seeing the ballgame tied for the first time, Upstate provided an immediate answer. Leading off the inning with back-to-back doubles, Buckner plated Noah Myers as he pulled a ball into the leftfield corner to start a six-run inning. A sacrifice fly from MacIntosh pushed across the second run before Cole Caruso and pinch-hitter Easton Cullison provided back-to-back RBI singles to plate runs three and four. The final runs of the inning came via a wild pitch and a throwing error from the High Point defense.
Notable
- Plating six runs in the seventh inning Saturday, Upstate its 10th inning this season scoring five or more runs. The game also marked the 10th time this season the Spartans have taken the lead in the seventh or later and come away with a victory—the fifth time in Big South play.
- Scoring in the first inning Saturday, Upstate has scored first and in the first inning in six straight games. Overall, this season, Upstate has scored in the first inning 14 times.
- Making just his fourth start of the season, Jace Rinehart collected his first career multi-hit game Saturday behind a 4-for-5 day. His four hits tie teammate Noah Sullivan's four hits against Xavier on March 4 as the most by a Spartan in a single game this season.
- Like Rinehart, Sullivan, Noah Myers, and Cole Caruso each produced multi-hit games, recording their 14th, 11th, and eighth such efforts, respectively. Cameron MacIntosh collected the game's lone multi-RBI game, his fifth of the season.
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