Weekend Series
April 14-16; 2023 | 5:00 p.m. / 3:00 p.m. / 1:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (22-12; 8-1 Big South) at UNC Asheville (18-14; 5-7 Big South)
Greenwood Baseball Club | Asheville, N.C.
 
TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | UNC Asheville
Game One: RHP Reese Dutton (5-2; 2.63 ERA) | RHP Blake Little (0-2; 5.50 ERA)
Game Two: LHP Henry Proger (5-3; 3.72 ERA) | RHP Ryan Douglas (5-0; 3.51 ERA)
Game Three: RHP Mathieu Curtis (4-2; 6.48 ERA) | RHP Clay Edmondson (5-1; 3.20 ERA)
 
Series History
In one of the longer running series against a Big South opponent, USC Upstate and UNC Asheville meet for the 26^th, 27^th, and 28^th times in the Spartans' Division I era (2007-pres.) with the two program's impending weekend series. The Spartans lead the series 16-7-1 and have won six of the past eight meetings. The teams split last season's series with each team winning a game before game three was called due to weather, resulting in a tie.
 
Last Time Out
April 11, 2023: No. 3 South Carolina 7; USC Upstate 2
April 11, 2023: Western Carolina 14; UNC Asheville 4
 
Players to Watch
USC Upstate:
Pitcher: Behind a career-long outing (6.0 innings) in his first career weekend start, freshman right-hander Mathieu Curtis garnered his second career Big South Freshman of the Week honor Monday. He tied a career-high with five strikeouts as he allowed just one hit and two baserunners in the Spartans' shutout victory over Longwood last Thursday. He carries a 4-2 record and a 6.48 earned run average into the weekend as he draws the start in game three for the Spartans against UNC Asheville.
 
Position Player: Hitting a solo homer for the Spartans against No. 3 South Carolina—his second home run of the season—redshirt sophomore designated hitter Ty Tilson extended his streak of games with an RBI to four. He's recorded a hit in four of the past five games with two of his three multi-hit games this season coming during the stretch. On the season, he's hitting .269 with 13 runs batted in, including five in the last four games.
 
UNC Asheville:
Pitcher: Entering the weekend's series, right-hander Ryan Douglas is one of two Bulldog pitchers with five victories on the season, carrying a 5-0 record into the weekend. Striking out 48 hitters over 41.0 innings of work, he ranks fourth in the Big South with 10.54 strikeouts per nine innings total while holding a 3.51 earned run average.
 
Position Player: Driving home 43 RBI this season, rightfielder Dylan Bacot enters the Bulldogs' series with Upstate leading the Big South in runs batted in, ranking 26^th in the NCAA in the category. He also leads the conference in total doubles with 14 and ranks 19^th in the country. For the year, he's hitting .362 with 13 multi-RBI games for the Bulldogs.
 
Up Next for the Spartans
Following a four-game road swing, Upstate returns home to Cleveland S. Harley Park to begin an eight-game homestand. The Spartans open the slate with a midweek matchup against Western Carolina with first pitch set for 5:00 p.m. ET.
 
Connect with the Spartans 
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans 
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