SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Coming off opening weekend and advancing to the season's second week, USC Upstate baseball continues a seven-game season-opening homestand as it faces its first midweek contest of the new campaign. The Spartans hosts Western Carolina in the season's first midweek game, doing so for the second time in the past three seasons, Wednesday afternoon with first pitch slated for 3 p.m. ET.
Wednesday's Game
February 21, 2024 | 3:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (0-3; 0-0 Big South) vs. Western Carolina (3-0; 0-0 SoCon)
Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (0-3; 0-0 Big South); Western Carolina (3-0; 0-0 SoCon)
Series: Western Carolina leads 3-2
Last Five Meetings: April 18, 2023 (WCU 13; UPST 1); April 4, 2023 (UPST 9; WCU 8 [13 inn.]); May 4, 2022 (WCU 15; UPST 6); Feb. 23, 2022 (UPST 9; WCU 3); March 6, 2020 (WCU 5; UPST 2)
Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | Western Carolina
RHP
Darin Kuskie (0-0; 0.00 ERA) | LHP Dylan Wheeler (1-0; 0.00 ERA)
Players to Watch
USC Upstate: Opening his collegiate career with a 3-for-4 effort as he reached safely in each of his first three career plate appearances, freshman third baseman
Vance Sheahan collected the first multi-hit game by a true freshman in their debut since 2018. He finished his opening weekend leading the Spartans with a .455 batting average as he exited the weekend ranked 14
th among NCAA freshmen in batting average.
Western Carolina: In his first weekend in a Catamount uniform, junior infielder Trent Turner concluded the opening weekend as Western Carolina's leading hitter, crafting a .500 average over three games. He collected a team-best eight hits and drove in five runs while scoring five more for the Catamounts as he tallied three extra base hits, including a home run.
Up Next for the Spartans
Closing the team's seven-game homestand to begin the season, Upstate hosts the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic this weekend at Cleveland S. Harley Park. The Spartans host Quinnipiac Friday, Canisius Saturday, and Saint Joseph's Sunday in the three-day event.
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
