Johnny Sweeney & Chase Matheny HR Celebration vs. Radford Gm 1 2023
Ava Morgan
2
Radford RAD 8-31, 0-13 BSC
8
Winner USC Upstate UPST 24-15, 10-3 BSC
Radford RAD
8-31, 0-13 BSC
2
Final
8
USC Upstate UPST
24-15, 10-3 BSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Radford RAD 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 6 2
USC Upstate UPST 0 1 2 1 1 2 0 1 X 8 9 1

W: Dutton, Reese (7-2) L: HOWARD, Dylan (1-7)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Multi-Homer Game and Sneaky Baserunning Back Solid Pitching Efforts as Baseball Collects 8-2 Series-Opening Victory Over Radford

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Back at Cleveland S. Harley Park for a three-game conference weekend, USC Upstate baseball felt at home in its friendly confines, getting solid pitching, power in its lineup, and timely baserunning to capture an 8-2 series-opening victory over Radford Friday night.
 
The Spartans began the game's scoring with a solo homer from sophomore designated hitter Johnny Sweeney in the second before adding two additional runs in the third to stake an early advantage. Upstate employed a double steal in the fourth, using a Radford error to tack on another run to the lead before the Highlanders cracked the scoreboard with a run in the fifth.
 
However, the Spartans answered in the home half of the inning as another double steal got the run back for Upstate, who added a pair of runs in the sixth behind a solo home run from redshirt junior rightfielder Daniel Gernon and a sac fly. Radford scored another in the eighth on a homer of its own, but Upstate answered with the game's final run to take an 8-2 win.
 
Adding to homers from Gernon and Sweeney, three Spartans claimed multi-hit days as sophomore centerfielder Kyle Henington, sophomore third baseman Cole Caruso, and Sweeney each notched two hits apiece. For Caruso, the game marks his team-leading 14th multi-hit game as he also collected a multi-RBI game, driving home three runs on the night.
 
Showing why he was named to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List, redshirt junior Reese Dutton collected his seventh win of the season behind his sixth quality start, surrendering one run over 6.0 innings while striking out seven. Earning the win, he becomes the first pitcher since Jordan Marks (10) and Alex Garbrick (seven) in 2021 with seven or more victories in a season.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 8; Radford 2
Records: USC Upstate (24-15; 10-3 Big South); Radford (8-31; 0-13 Big South)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Scoring Summary
  • B2: Driving the first pitch he saw to straight-away center, Johnny Sweeney rang a solo homer off the batter's eye to deliver a 1-0 lead.
  • B3: Tacking onto the lead, the Spartans added two runs to their advantage in the third. Cole Caruso drove home the first with a single back through the middle before a fielder's choice from Grant Sherrod added the second.
  • B4: Employing a double steal with runners on the corner, a throwing error from the Radford shortstop allowed a fourth Upstate tally to score.
  • T5: A double into the leftfield corner put Radford on the board as Avery Spencer picked up the RBI.
  • B5: Answering the run scored in the top of the inning, the Spartans used a second double steal attempt with runners on the corners as Troy Hamilton stole home.
  • B6: Adding to the lead, Daniel Gernon wrapped a 2-1 pitch around the leftfield foul pole for a solo homer of his own. Caruso followed as he drove in his second run of the evening with a sac fly, giving Upstate two runs in the frame.
  • T8: Scoring their final run, the Highlanders added another to the board as Julian Rojas hit a solo homer to left-center.
  • B8: Doubling down the leftfield line, Caruso drove home his third run of the night as Daniel Gernon scored from third.
 
Notable
  • Opening the series with Radford, Upstate tallied its eighth multi-homer game of the season with Johnny Sweeney and Daniel Gernon each hitting solo shots. The Spartans have hit at least one home run in nine of 13 Big South games with four of the eight multi-homer games coming during league play.
  • Going 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI against Radford, Cole Caruso collected his team-leading 14th multi-hit game and fifth multi-RBI game of the season. Also with multi-hit efforts, Kyle Henington and Johnny Sweeney collected their fifth and fourth multi-hit games of the year.
  • Stealing six bases Friday night, the Spartans posted their second-highest stolen base total of the season, slotting just behind the team's eight steals against Princeton on March 19. Leading the way with a pair of steals, including a steal of home, Troy Hamilton tied his career high for stolen bases with his second two-steal game of the year.
 
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