2023 Baseball Seniors
Joshua Ragsdale
12
Winner Campbell CAM 41-13, 22-5 BSC
9
USC Upstate UPST 36-20, 21-6 BSC
Winner
Campbell CAM
41-13, 22-5 BSC
12
Final
9
USC Upstate UPST
36-20, 21-6 BSC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
Campbell CAM 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 3 12 19 1
USC Upstate UPST 5 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 9 9 2

W: O'BRIEN, Cameron (4-2) L: James, David (0-2) S: CUMMINGS, Ty (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Honors its Eight Seniors, Battling Vehemently For A Big South Regular Season Crown Saturday at Cleveland S. Harley Park

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In a game befitting of a winner-take-all game for the Big South regular season championship, USC Upstate baseball left it all on the diamond Saturday afternoon, battling until the bitter end before succumbing in extra innings to No. 9 Campbell as the 2023 regular season came to a close at Cleveland S. Harley Park.
 
Campbell started the scoring in a game that saw both teams hang runs on the scoreboard in the first three innings with three runs in the first before scoring a run in each the second and third. Upstate, however, had an answer to each inning the Camels scored in the first fourth of the 12-inning game, responding with five runs in the first, a run in the second, and two in the third to stake an 8-5 lead.
 
Momentum began turning in the Camels' favor in the sixth as Campbell pushed one across to pull within two before tying things with two runs in the seventh. The Camels took the lead in the top of the eighth as the Spartans answered immediately in the home half of the inning to knot the game at nine and set the game up for extra innings when after three consecutive scoreless frames, Campbell plated three in the top of the 12th to take the game.
 
While the game held Big South Tournament implications, the game also marked the final home game for eight Upstate seniors as the team held its senior day ceremonies prior to Saturday's game. The Spartans honored seniors Troy Hamilton, Braxton Boddorf, Adam Grob, Noah Rabon, Chase Matheny, AJ Hacker, Derek Sivec, and Dylan Harley.
 
Game Information
Score: No. 9 Campbell 12; USC Upstate 9 (12 inn.)
Records: USC Upstate (36-20; 21-6 Big South); Campbell (41-13; 22-5 Big South)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Scoring Summary
  • T1: Opening the game's scoring, Campbell used a two-run, inside-the-park home run to straightaway center from Bryce Arnold to take an early advantage. The Camels tacked on another run in a three-run first as Max Weller split the left-center gap with an RBI double.
  • B1: Providing a quick response, the Spartans began chipping away throughout an inning that saw 10 men step to the plate. Grant Sherrod jumpstarted Upstate's big inning as he hit an RBI double to left-center as he came home on an RBI double from Adam Grob to left-center. The doubles sandwiched an RBI groundout from Easton Cullison as the game stood tied at three. Following a pair of HBP that loaded the bases, Jake Armsey delivered Upstate the lead as he flipped a two-run single into center.
  • T2: The Camels pulled within a run as Arnold added another RBI to his total with a single into rightfield.
  • B2: Leading off the second with a double into the leftfield corner, Kyle Henington came home to score on a sacrifice fly from Jace Rinehart, getting Upstate its run back.
  • T3: Campbell got a run back, cutting into the Spartan lead as Grant Knipp knocked an RBI single through the right side.
  • B3: Without picking up a hit and taking advantage of four free bases in the inning, the Spartans scored two runs in the frame. Cole Caruso brought home the first as he drew a walk with the bases loaded before Henington skyed a sac fly to left.
  • T6: Stringing together a pair of hits to put two men in scoring position, Campbell used a sac fly from Dalen Thompson to pull within two runs.
  • T7: Fighting back to tie the game, the Camels plated a pair in the seventh behind a pair of squeeze bunts, getting RBI from Knipp and Chandler Riley.
  • T8: Taking the lead for the first time since the first inning, Campbell took a 9-8 lead on a sacrifice fly from Logan Jordan.
  • B8: Going against the shift, Daniel Gernon tied the game for the Spartans as he drove home Cullison from second with a single through the right side.
  • T12: Taking the lead for the final time, the Camels led off the 12th with a solo homer to center from Jarrod Belbin before tacking on a pair of insurance runs on a two-run single to right from Weller.
 
Notable
  • Striking out seven batters Saturday, Upstate's pitching staff broke the program's team strikeout record, punching out 475 hitters this season. The Spartans entered the game tied with the 2021 pitching staff with 468 punchouts.
  • Throughout the game, the Spartans drew 19 free bases (11 walks, one intentional walk, and seven HBP), tying the team's season-high after also drawing 19 free bases (13 walks and six HBP) against Princeton on March 19. Drawing seven HBP, Upstate tied for the second-most team HBP in a game in program history.
  • With a stolen base, his 24th of the year, Easton Cullison ties for the fifth most steals in a single season in program history. He enters the postseason, four steals shy of equaling Chris Leach's program mark (28 steals in 1987).
  • Wrapping the team's home slate, Upstate finishes the season 22-9 at Cleveland S. Harley Park, finishing its second straight season with a Division I era (2007-pres.) home win total.
 
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