TAMPA, Fla. – USC Upstate softball finished the final day of the USF Bulls Invitational Tournament with a 4-3 win over Rhode Island to finish the tournament with a 3-2 record and advance to 18-2 overall this season.  

The Spartans found themselves trailing early in the game as the Rams hit a two RBI homerun in the top of the first. Upstate got on the board as well with a homerun over left field in the bottom of the second inning from Casey Goguts. In the third inning, Upstate took the lead as a wild pitch brought home Tiffany Domingue and a single from Goguts sent pinch Caroline Jacquay home to make the game 3-2. An error by Upstate allowed the Rams to tie the game 3-3 in the top of the fourth. The fifth inning brought not only the final run of the game, but the go ahead run for the Spartans as pinch runner Taliyah Thomas came home for the win. Maddie Drerup started her ninth game of the season against the Rams and had two strikeouts in her 2.0 innings pitched. Alyssa Kelly relieved Drerup in the top of the third and pitched the remaining 5.0 innings, recording two strikeouts and achieving her 11th win of the season.  
 
 
Game Recap             
Score: USC Upstate 4; Rhode Island 3 

Records: USC Upstate (18-2, 0-0 Big South); Rhode Island (2-8; 0-0 A10)  

Location: USF Softball Stadium | Tampa, Fla.  

How it Happened: 

T1: With one Ram on second, Bulinski hit a homerun over left center to give Rhode Island a 2-0 lead in the first.  

B2: Goguts led off for Upstate in the bottom of the second and stepped up to hit a home run over left field to bring the game within one run. 

B3: With two outs, a wild pitch from Rhode Island advanced Jacquay to third and advanced Domingue home to tie the game 2-2.  

B3: Jacquay came home off a single through the left side from Goguts and give Upstate the lead for the first in the game.  

T4: An error by the Upstate second baseman allowed the Rams to tie the game at 3-3.  

B5: Pinch runner Taliyah Thomas was able to score the winning run for Upstate after a wild pitch during Norris' at bat advanced her to third.  

                
Notable                

• This was Casey Goguts fourth homerun of the season. 

• Goguts is second on the team for homeruns with four, just behind Domingue who has six.   

• Goguts is currently on a four-game hitting streak and a six-game reached base streak. 

• Tiffany Domingue is on a nine-game hitting streak.  

• Domingue is also on a nine-game reached base streak. 

• Upstate now has a 3-0 record over Rhode Island with two wins from 2011. 

Up Next for the Spartans 

Upstate returns home to host Stetson in a double-header on Friday evening and an afternoon game on Saturday which will be followed by an alumni reunion event.  

Alumni Reunion Weekend  

The reunion weekend will be highlighted by a special presentation following the Upstate vs. Stetson contest on Saturday, March 11.  First pitch is tentatively set for 1:00 p.m. The post game presentation is one former players of head coach Chris Hawkins will not want to miss. Following the presentation there will be dinner, music and an Alumni Game. If you plan to attend, please let us know here. 

      
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