Team Pregame vs. Sacred Heart 2023
Juliana Franco
10
Winner Sacred Heart SHU 4-6
6
USC Upstate UPST 7-6
Winner
Sacred Heart SHU
4-6
10
Final
6
USC Upstate UPST
7-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Sacred Heart SHU 1 0 0 2 0 5 0 2 0 10 9 4
USC Upstate UPST 1 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 6 6 3

W: Mitch Hawkins (2-0) L: James, David (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Battles Against Sacred Heart Tuesday as Comeback Bid Falls Short in Late Innings

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Back at Cleveland S. Harley Park off a three-game road swing, USC Upstate baseball battled back following an early deficit, but saw its final comeback attempt fall short as Sacred Heart earned a pair of insurance runs late as Upstate fell 10-6 Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Spartans fought back after surrendering a run in the top of the first with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning before taking the lead with two additional runs in the third. The Pioneers battled back to tie the game with two runs in the top of the fourth with Upstate answering with a run in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead. Sacred Heart busted the game open with five runs in the sixth as the Spartans attempted a comeback, chipping away at the four-run deficit with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, however, the Pioneers added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth to put the game away.
 
Leading to three of the team's runs, Upstate added three sacrifice flies on the afternoon as sophomore designated hitter Noah Sullivan, redshirt junior rightfielder Grant Sherrod, and redshirt junior leftfielder Noah Rabon collected the sacrifices with Sullivan and Sherrod's leading to multi-RBI games. Rabon and redshirt junior shortstop Troy Hamilton recorded the Spartans' two multi-hit games with two hits apiece.
 
Game Information
Score: Sacred Heart 10; USC Upstate 6
Records: USC Upstate (7-6; 0-0 Big South); Sacred Heart (4-6; 0-0 NEC)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Scoring Summary
  • T1: Loading the bases behind an error, a free base, and a hit, Sacred Heart's Robert Farruggio lifted a sac fly to rightfield to open the game's scoring.
  • B1: With runners in scoring position at second and third, Noah Sullivan tied the game for Upstate with a sacrifice fly of his own to right.
  • B3: Earning a four-pitch walk and subsequently stealing second, Troy Hamilton scored from second on a single to right from Grant Sherrod. Later in the inning, Sherrod came into score thanks to a sac fly from Noah Rabon.
  • T4: Getting men in scoring position with back-to-back hits to open the inning, the Pioneers pushed across their first run of the inning with a groundout to second. Sacred Heart later tied the game, drawing a walk with the bases loaded to tie things at three.
  • B5: Following a leadoff single, a wild pitch, and a groundout, Sherrod collected the Spartans' third sac fly as he drove home Hamilton to give Upstate a 4-3 advantage.
  • T6: Taking advantage of multiple free bases in the inning and doing damage with the bases loaded, Sacred Heart scored five runs in the inning. The first scored via a bases-loaded walk before a double from Joey Skarad plated two runs with an error allowing in a third run on the hit. The final run scored on a wild pitch, building a four-run advantage for the Pioneers.
  • B6: Getting back two of the runs it surrendered, the Spartans took advantage of a pair of walks and a defensive miscue to score their runs. Jace Rinehart drove in the first as he reached on an error before he scored as Sullivan drew a walk with the bases loaded.
  • T8: Three hits in the inning and a failed pickoff attempt prompted Sacred Heart to add a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as Dante D'Amore delivered a two-run single to right.
 
Notable
  • Adding three sacrifice flies to its season total, Upstate has recorded 12 sacrifice flies on the season, entering today's game ranked 12th in the NCAA in the category. The three sac flies in the game are the most for the Spartans since February 25, 2022, against Manhattan.
  • Working the final 1.2 innings of the game for the Spartans, Jake Cubbler recorded each of his five outs via strikeout. His five strikeouts tied a career-high, equaling his total from March 9, 2021, versus Clemson.
  • While no player entering the game with a hitting streak extended their streak, each Spartan holding a double-digit reached base streak extended their streak as Cole Caruso and Daniel Gernon improved to 12-game streaks and Grant Sherrod improved to an 11-game streak.
 
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
 
Help Us Achieve Home Field Advantage at Fluor Field
USC Upstate is right back at Fluor Field next Wednesday, March 8 to host South Carolina at 6:30 p.m.! Help create a home-field advantage for the Spartans against the Gamecocks and make Fluor Upstate's home away from home. Tickets range from $9-14 and Fluor Field does have a clear bag policy. Buy Now: Click Here to purchase
 
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Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!
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