FARMVILLE, VA. – USC Upstate softball finished the series against Longwood on Saturday afternoon, falling 9-6 in game one and 4-3 in game two. The Spartans' record shifts to 27-9 overall with a 4-5 Big South record. 

Upstate started game one of the double-header strong with four runs in the top of the second inning. The Spartans capitalized on three consecutive errors by the Longwood infield and capped the scoring with a final run home on a ground out. Back-to-back homeruns in the bottom of the second and third innings not only gave the Lancers five runs, but forced the Spartans to trail for the first time in the game (5-4). Tiffany Domingue hit a single to left field to send Lauer home and tie the game at five apiece. Longwood finished its scoring in game one with a four-RBI homer to make the score 9-5. Peyton Darnell finished Upstate's scoring in the top of the seventh with a sacrificed fly to left center, which allowed Casey Goguts to score. Maddie Drerup made her 15th start of the season and had two strikeouts in 3.0 innings pitched. Olivia Hall relieved Drerup and pitched the remaining 3.0 innings of game one.  

The Spartans began game two trailing the Lancers as Longwood scored one run in the bottom of the first. Pinch runner Taliyah Thomas got Upstate on the board quickly as she stole second and advanced all the way home because of a Longwood error. Singles from Longwood in the fifth and sixth innings forced Upstate to trail 4-1 through the sixth inning. Domingue and Sarah Price scored the final two runs for the Spartans in the top of the seventh to finish the game 4-3 in favor of the hosting Lancers. Alyssa Kelly made her 20th start of the season and had three strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched.  

Game One             
Score: USC Upstate 6; Longwood 9 

Records: USC Upstate (27-8; 4-4 Big South) vs. Longwood (16-11; 3-1 Big South)  

Location: Lancer Field | Farmville, Va.   

How it Happened:  

T2: Peyton Darnell was able to reach second base and Delorenzo was instructed to go home off an error by the Lancers' third baseman.  

T2: With a 0-1 count, Alanna Deal set up for a bunt and was able to reach on an error by the Lancers' pitcher. The error allowed pinch runner Taliyah Thomas to score.  

T2: Madison Lanoux attempted a sacrificed bunt and reached first off an error by the Lancers and advanced to second. Sarah Price also advanced to third and Deal went home. 

T2: Denver Lauer grounded out to the second basement which allowed Lanoux to advance to third and Price to reach home. 

B2: Park hit a homerun over left field to bring in two runs for Longwood. 

B3: Hay hit a three-RBI homerun over left field to make Upstate trail by one run (5-4).  

T4: Tiffany Domingue hit a single through the left side allowing Lauer to run home.  

B5: Pone hit a grand slam over left center to extend the Lancer's lead (9-5). 

T7: Peyton Darnell sent a sacrificed fly out to left center which gave Casey Goguts enough time to score.   

Game Two             
Score: USC Upstate 8; Longwood 2 

Records: USC Upstate (27-9; 4-5 Big South) vs. Longwood (17-11; 4-1 Big South)  

Location: Lancer Field | Farmville, Va.   

How it Happened:  

B1: Hay sent a single to left field which sent home Pone for an unearned run.   

T2: Pinch runner Taliyah Thomas stole second and not only advanced to third on an error by the third baseman, but also brought in Upstate's first run.  

B5: Park singled to second and advanced to second as Hay advanced to third, and Pone to home. 

B6: Wyatt hit one to third base to reach first and advanced to second on a throwing error while Devivi reached home.   

B6: Vinson reached first off a single up the middle as Westmiller came home for the Lancers to score an unearned run.  

T7: Tiffany Domingue kept the Spartans in the game with a single to left field, which advanced Price home and allowed Domingue to advance to second.  

T7: Casey Goguts kept the scoring going as she sent Domingue running home off a single to right field.  

                
Notable                

• Alyssa Kelly tied her season-high for pitches thrown (112) which was originally set against Queens (2/26/23). 

• The last time Upstate dropped a regular season series to Longwood was the 2021 season.  

• Domingue had a season-high three hits in game two. 

• Summer Johnson tied her season-high for hits (3) for the second time this season with the first being against Queens (2/26/23).  

Up Next for the Spartans 

Upstate returns home to host North Carolina A&T in a double-header on Tuesday afternoon, with a first pitch time of 2:00 p.m. 

      
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