Easton Cullison NCAT Gm 2 2022
Xavi Wences
6
USC Upstate USCU 27-18
15
Winner Western Carolina WCU 21-23
USC Upstate USCU
27-18
6
Final
15
Western Carolina WCU
21-23
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
USC Upstate USCU 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 6 8 1
Western Carolina WCU 0 5 2 4 1 1 2 0 X 15 15 2

W: Dawson Elder (2-0) L: Miller, Trey (1-4)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Easton Cullison's Second-Inning Long Ball Extends Baseball's Homer Streak to Eight Games, But Spartans Fall at Western Carolina Wednesday

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Going for a season sweep in a rematch with its first midweek opponent of the 2022 season, USC Upstate baseball fell short of that goal as the Spartans dropped a 15-6 decision Wednesday night at Western Carolina in the opener of a five-game road swing.
 
Opening the scoring for the Spartans Wednesday night, sophomore third baseman Easton Cullison hit his third homer of the season with a shot to right, extending Upstate's streak of games with a home run to eight. Over the past eight games, the Spartans have hit 16 homers, increasing its Division I era (2007-pres.) single-season home run mark to 30 with Cullison's blast.
 
In addition to his homer, Cullison finished the night 2-for-2 with a pair of walks as he scored three of the Spartans' six runs in the game. Redshirt sophomore shortstop Troy Hamilton joined Cullison with a perfect day at the plate and a multi-hit game, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles while driving home a run with a sac fly and scoring two of his own.
 
Game Information
Score: Western Carolina 15; USC Upstate 6
Records: USC Upstate (27-18; 13-5 Big South); Western Carolina (21-23; 5-7 SoCon)
Location: Hennon Stadium | Cullowhee, N.C.
 
Scoring Summary
  • T2: For the second straight game, Upstate began its scoring with a home run as Easton Cullison lifted a drive over the wall in right to stake the Spartans an early 1-0 lead. The Spartans added a second run in the frame as Troy Hamilton came home off a groundout to short from Cameron MacIntosh.
  • B2: Loading the bases in the home half of the inning, Western Carolina answered Upstate's two-spot with five runs of its own, using a single, walk, double, and groundout to the right side to push across the runs.
  • B3: The Catamounts extended their lead in the third with two more runs, scoring the first with another groundout to the right side with runners in scoring position before a double tacked on the second.
  • T4: Stepping to the plate with runners on the corners, Hamilton drove home a run with a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Noah Rabon to come down the line and score. The Spartans added a second tally later in the inning as Jace Rinehart singled through the left side as Cullison came into score.
  • B4: Providing another quick answer to a two-run inning from Upstate, the Catamounts used an RBI single ahead of a three-run homer to build a four-run inning and extend its lead once again.
  • B5: Tacking on another run, Western Carolina added its lone run in the fifth thanks to a wild pitch.
  • T6: Stepping to the plate as a pinch hitter with a pair of runners in scoring position following a walk to Cullison and a double from Hamilton, Jeff Taylor singled back through the middle to drive in the final two Spartan runs.
  • B6: Again, answering a two-spot by the Spartans, the Catamounts added a single run in the sixth with a triple down the rightfield line.
  • B7: Taking advantage of an Upstate error, Western Carolina saw its final two runs come across in the seventh to build a 15-6 lead it would carry until the final out.
 
Notable
  • Behind Easton Cullison's second-inning homer, Upstate increased its streak of games with a home run to eight. The streak marks the program's longest in the D1 era and has seen the Spartans hit 16 of their 30 home runs in the span.
  • Upstate's 30 home runs during the 2022 season mark a D1 era single-season record, besting the 28 homers hit by the 2016 squad.
  • With two doubles Wednesday night, Troy Hamilton tied his career-high for doubles in a game with his second two-double game of the season. He also had a two-double game against Campbell on April 9.
  • Being hit by a pitch in the ninth inning, Noah Sullivan extended his team-long reached base streak to 29 games, the longest by a Spartan since Noah Rabon crafted a similar 29-game streak last season. Sullivan's streak ranks as the second-longest active reached base streak in the Big South.

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