Wednesday's Matchup
May 3, 2023 | 5:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (28-16; 14-4 Big South) vs. Queens (11-31; 6-15 ASUN)
Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | Queens
RHP David James (0-1; 5.79 ERA) | RHP Blake Efird (1-0; 4.67 ERA)
 
Series History
Meeting for the second time this season in a midweek contest, USC Upstate and Queens play the second game in the Spartans' Division I era (2007-pres.) Wednesday. The Spartans took the first meeting between the two programs with a late-inning win on March 21 behind a score of 8-6. The two teams went back and forth, answering one another before Upstate plated three in the ninth inning for the victory.
 
Last Time Out
April 30, 2023: USC Upstate 11; Presbyterian 1
May 2, 2023: Davidson vs. Queens
 
Players to Watch
Upstate: Turning the momentum of the Spartans' weekend series against Presbyterian with a two-run walk-off home run in the 10^th inning of Saturday's comeback win, redshirt junior rightfielder Daniel Gernon capped a three-hit, three-RBI, three-run game by delivering victory with a single swing. He finished the weekend hitting two homers while driving home six with a pair of multi-RBI games. On the season, he enters the midweek with a .292 batting average and a team-best .436 on-base percentage while also adding seven homers and 12 stolen bases.
 
Queens: After collecting four hits and three doubles against the Spartans back in March, utility player Riley Cheek continues to be the top hitter for the Royals entering the midweek. Sporting a .354 batting average and .628 slugging percentage, he leads Queens with 58 hits, 16 doubles, nine home runs, and 32 runs batted in. He also leads the Royals in multi-hit and multi-RBI games, recording 18 and nine on the season, respectively.
 
Up Next for the Spartans
Following the final game of an eight-game homestand, Upstate begins a season-long eight-game road trip with a regional rival. The Spartans head to Gardner-Webb for a three-game series against the Runnin' Bulldogs with game times set for 6 p.m. ET Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday.
 
Connect with the Spartans 
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Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
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YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans 
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