Tuesday's MatchUP
May 10, 2022 | 7:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (30-18; 16-5 Big South) at South Carolina (24-22; 10-14 SEC)
Founders Park | Columbia, S.C.
 
TV: SEC Network+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
Audio: Spartan Sports Network | Via UpstateSpartans.com
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | South Carolina
RHP Chase Matheny (2-0; 4.36 ERA) | RHP Eli Jones (1-0; 3.18 ERA)
 
Series History
USC Upstate and South Carolina are meeting for the 14^th time in the Spartans' Division I Era (2007-pres.) Tuesday, meeting for the first time since 2019. The Gamecocks lead a series that has met each season since 2008, except in 2012 and 2018, taking each of the previous meetings.
 
Last Time Out
USC Upstate: at Longwood (W, 9-3; W, 15-6; W, 11-1)
South Carolina: at No. 13 Texas A&M (L, 16-4; L, 13-12; W, 9-4)
 
Players to Watch
USC Upstate:
Pitcher: Making his second start of the season and first since March 29 at Kennesaw State, redshirt junior right-hander Chase Matheny gets the ball for the Spartans Tuesday night. He earns the start after recording his second save of the season last Friday behind 3.2 innings of work where he surrendered three hits and one run while tying a career-high with five strikeouts. In his lone start of the year, He pitched 4.0 innings, allowing just two hits while striking out one. For the season, he owns a 2-0 record with two saves and a 4.36 ERA.
Position Player: Over four games last week, redshirt sophomore shortstop Troy Hamilton paced the Spartans in batting, hitting .529 for the weekend, going 9-for-17 at the plate. He opened the week with two doubles against Western Carolina before adding another double and a triple in a three-game set against Longwood. On the year, he leads Upstate with14 doubles while sporting a .306 batting average (45-for-147).
 
South Carolina:
Pitcher: Making his sixth straight midweek start for the Gamecocks, righty Eli Jones will get the ball first for South Carolina Tuesday night. Last week, he tossed 3.2 innings and earned the victory against North Carolina A&T in his longest outing of the year, surrendering just three hits while collecting three punchouts. On the season, he's pitched 11.1 innings with eight strikeouts, sporting a 1-0 record and a 3.18 ERA.
 
Position Player: Entering the midweek, leftfielder Brandt Belk leads South Carolina in batting average, hitting .344 (56-for-163) this season. He enters having picked up a hit in five straight games, including four conference games and ranks second among Gamecocks with 56 hits this season. He's collected 14 extra-base hits on the year, including tying for the team lead with nine doubles.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
With the conclusion of Tuesday's midweek contest, USC Upstate wraps up its five-game road trip by returning to Cleveland S. Harley Park for a three-game set with UNC Asheville to close out the Spartans' portion of Big South Play. Game times for this weekend are set for 6 p.m. (Friday), 2 p.m. (Saturday), and 1 p.m. (Sunday).
 
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.

Keep UP with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateBSB @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateBSB @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans