HIGH POINT, N.C. – Opening Big South Conference play, USC Upstate baseball's bats came alive to earn the Spartans their fourth straight victory in a conference opener as Upstate scored 15 runs on 15 hits and slugged three home runs in a 15-2 series-opening win Friday night against High Point.
 
Setting the tone early for an offense that saw seven of its 15 hits go for extra bases, sophomore third baseman Cole Caruso hit the first of three homers in the game with a solo shot to left in the third. He was followed by redshirt junior rightfielder Daniel Gernon and redshirt junior first baseman Grant Sherrod who hit a grand slam and two-run homer, respectively, for the Spartans in a six-run fourth inning.
 
Sherrod finished his night 4-for-5 with five RBI, two doubles, a home run, a walk, and three runs scored as he propelled an offense that backed redshirt junior right-hander Reese Dutton on the way to his third win of the season. Dutton tossed 6.0 innings of one-hit ball, striking out four before giving way to sophomore righty Julian Parson and freshman righty Caleb Costa out of the bullpen. Parson pitched a clean frame for Upstate while Costa struck out a career-high four over 2.0 innings of work.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 15; High Point 2
Records: USC Upstate (14-9; 1-0 Big South); High Point (7-14; 1-3 Big South)
Location: Williard Stadium | High Point, N.C.
   
Scoring Summary

• T2: Following up a two-out base hit from Noah Rabon, Johnny Sweeney doubled over the head of the rightfielder to open the game's scoring.
• T3: Leading off the inning, Cole Caruso hit his second homer of the year with a drive to left before Grant Sherrod tacked on another Upstate run with a double down the rightfield line, scoring Daniel Gernon.
• T4: Breaking the game wide open, the Spartans scored six runs in the fourth using six hits and two homers. Loading the bases with three straight one-out singles, Upstate scored the first four runs of the frame with one swing of the bat as Gernon launched a grand slam to left. Two batters later and following another single, Sherrod hit a two-run opposite-field homer to finish the inning's scoring.
• B6: High Point scratched a single run in the sixth as Adam Stuart singled to left.
• T8: The Spartans added three more runs in the eighth as Easton Cullison hit an RBI single to center ahead of a two-run double from Noah Rabon.
• T9: Much like the eighth, Upstate scored three additional runs in the ninth. A ground-rule double to right-center from Sherrod pushed across the first two runs before Braxton Boddorf singled to center to drive home the final run of the frame.
• B9: The Panthers scored their final run on a ground-rule double from Brayden Simpson.

 
Notable

• With its win Friday night, Upstate has won each of its conference openers since joining the Big South ahead of the 2018-19 academic year. The Spartans have won their four Big South openers with the total not counting the 2020 season where no conference play was contested.
• Hitting three homers Friday night, the game marked the fifth three-plus homer game for the Spartans this season and the first since March 4 at Troy. The game is also the second this season to see one of the three homers be a grand slam, joining the Northwestern game on Feb. 26.
• With his grand slam in the fourth inning, Daniel Gernon hit the Spartans' third grand slam of the season, joining Grant Sherrod (two) with grand slams this season.

 
Youth Baseball Field of Dreams Program
Bring your youth baseball team to meet the Spartans and take the field for the National Anthem at select games at Harley Park this season! The program is free and so is admission thanks to Ingles! For details and to sign up, go to www.upstatespartans.com/fieldofdreams
 
Connect with the Spartans 
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans 
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!