Jace Rinehart 2nd AB 2B vs. Gardner-Webb Gm 1 2024
Emily Rangel
5
Gardner-Webb GWUBASE 6-12, 0-2 BSC
8
Winner USC Upstate UPST 13-7, 2-0 BSC
Gardner-Webb GWUBASE
6-12, 0-2 BSC
5
Final
8
USC Upstate UPST
13-7, 2-0 BSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Gardner-Webb GWUBASE 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 5 11 3
USC Upstate UPST 1 1 2 1 0 0 3 0 X 8 11 0

W: Jefferis, Jagger (2-1) L: CJ Czerwinski (1-1) S: Ellingworth, Cooper (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Jace Rinehart's Three-Hit, Three-RBI Game Lifts Baseball to 8-5 Win and a Series Victory Over Gardner-Webb

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Entering the day with a chance to capture its opening Big South series for the fourth straight season, USC Upstate baseball accomplished just that as it withstood Gardner-Webb fighting back to tie the game before putting three runs on the board in the seventh to secure an 8-5 victory Saturday afternoon at Cleveland S. Harley Park.
 
Pushing its winning streak to seven games—the longest for the program in over two seasons—Upstate's offense matched and exceeded its run total from the series opener over the first four frames, scoring five total runs in the first, second, third, and fourth innings. While the Runnin' Bulldogs battled back to tie the game in the fifth, the Spartans responded with a three-spot in the seventh to retake the lead.
 
Leading the offense, junior leftfielder Jace Rinehart was the lone Spartan to record a multi-hit and multi-RBI game as he finished the afternoon 3-for-4 with three runs batted in, homering in the fourth inning before driving home two with a single in the seventh. Redshirt senior shortstop Troy Hamilton grabbed Upstate's other multi-RBI effort as he hit a two-run homer in the third inning.
 
Giving the bats the opportunity to retake the lead late in the ballgame, Upstate's bullpen arms combined to toss 4.0 scoreless innings in relief as senior left-hander Jagger Jefferis and freshman right-hander Cooper Ellingworth put up the zeros, working two innings apiece. Jefferis allowed just two baserunners—both walks—as he struck out two to earn the win while Ellingworth earned his first career save, allowing four baserunners—three hits and one walk—and striking out one.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 8; Gardner-Webb 5
Records: USC Upstate (13-7; 2-0 Big South); Gardner-Webb (6-12; 0-2 Big South)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
  • B1: Putting Upstate on the board in the first inning for the sixth time in seven games on the homestand, Grant Sherrod drove home the game's first run. His single back through the middle chased home Daniel Gernon who led off the frame with a triple into the rightfield corner.
  • B2: After loading the bases behind a pair of walks and a single, the Spartans tacked on an additional run as one crossed as Gardner-Webb turned a double play.
  • B3: Doubling the Upstate lead, Troy Hamilton launched a 3-1 pitch to deep left for his ninth homer of the year, a two-run shot.
  • T4: Opening the inning with four straight hits, all singles, the Runnin' Bulldogs pushed three runs across in the inning. The first came behind an RBI single from Peter Capobianco before a pair of 4-3 groundouts plated the next two tallies.
  • B4: Leading off the home half of the inning, Jace Rinehart got a run back for the Spartans with a solo shot to left-center.
  • T5: Answering the Spartans' homer with one of their own, Gardner-Webb tied the game on a two-run shot to left from Tommy Tavarez.
  • B7: Putting itself back ahead, Upstate used a pair of doubles to lead off the frame as the second a check-swing bouncer over the first base bag against a shift from Daniel Gernon sent home Jake Armsey to put the Spartans on top for good. Rinehart later drove home a pair of insurance runs as he ripped a single through the left side of the infield with the bases loaded.
 
Notable
  • Earning a victory Saturday, Upstate captured a series victory in its first conference series for the fourth straight season.
  • Saturday's victory marks the Spartans' seventh consecutive victory, giving Upstate its longest winning streak since posting a seven-game win streak from April 20 through May 1, 2021.
  • With Cooper Ellingworth picking up his first career save Saturday, Upstate's series against Gardner-Webb is the first since April 6-7, 2023, against Longwood to see the Spartans record multiple saves in a series. Jake Cubbler earned the save for the Spartans Friday.
  • While his hitting streak may have come to an end Saturday, Koby Kropf his team-high reached base streak to 16 games with a pair of walks. His streak is one of five double-digit reached base streaks for the Spartans with Noah Sullivan (13), Grant Sherrod (12), Troy Hamilton (11), and Daniel Gernon (10) holding the other streaks.
 
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
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