SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Battling blustery conditions throughout the afternoon, USC Upstate baseball withstood a late comeback attempt to capture its second straight Big South conference series with a 6-5 win Saturday afternoon at Cleveland S. Harley Park.
 
Despite being out-hit in the game, the Spartans made the most of their seven hits with the biggest coming in the sixth inning as redshirt junior David Pereira drove a ball over the head of the Eagle centerfielder. Racing around the bases, Pereira drove in three with an inside-the-park home run—the Spartans' second such home run this season—with the three runs representing the difference in the game.
 
On the mound, junior left-hander Henry Proger bounced back from a pair of first-inning runs, only one earned run—to earn his fifth quality start and fourth win of the season. Coming on out of the bullpen, redshirt sophomore right-hander Jake Cubbler slammed the door as Winthrop had pulled within one, earning his second save with a one, two, three ninth inning.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 6; Winthrop 5
Records: USC Upstate (18-10; 5-0 Big South); Winthrop (12-16; 2-6 Big South)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Scoring Summary

• T1: Leading off the game, Winthrop's Brody Hopkins drove the first pitch he saw over the wall in right, starting the game's scoring with a solo home run. The Eagles built upon their early lead with a bases-loaded walk to stake an early 2-0 advantage.
• B1: Getting back one of the runs it surrendered in the top half of the inning, Upstate took advantage of a throwing error by the Winthrop shortstop as Daniel Gernon raced home for the Spartans' first run.
• B2: The Spartans tied the game in the second as Kyle Henington slapped a pitch the other way, dumping it into leftfield to drive home David Pereira from second.
• B4: With ball four to Johnny Sweeney going wild and escaping the catcher, Noah Rabon put the Spartans ahead as he hurried down the baseline from third to give Upstate a 3-2 lead.
• B6: Stepping to the plate with two men on, Pereira lifted a ball to straightaway centerfield that went over the head of the Eagle centerfielder as he raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run, delivering a 6-2 Upstate advantage.
• T8: Attempting a comeback, Winthrop tacked on three runs as Hopkins hit his second homer of the game, a three-run shot to center.

 
Notable

• With two more steals Saturday afternoon, Noah Rabon has stolen multiple bags in two straight games and in three games this season, stealing 14 bags on the season. He's taken a bag in four of five Big South games this season, owning six steals in conference play.
• With his inside-the-park home run, David Pereira hit the Spartans' second inside-the-parker of the year for his second homer of the spring. He joins Cole Caruso who hit an inside-the-park home run on March 14 against The Citadel as Spartans with an inside-the-park homer this season.
• Striking out five hitters Saturday, Henry Proger has struck out five or more hitters in three straight outings and tallies four such outings on the season. He's racked up 35 punchouts over 40.1 innings of work on the season through seven starts.

 
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
 
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