SPARTANBURG, S.C. – With ring chasing season officially under way, USC Upstate softball split Saturday's double-header with Radford after beginning the day with a 7-1 win before falling 6-3 to finish the day.  
  
The Spartans started conference play with a near shutout win over Radford after running up the board and holding the Highlanders scoreless through six innings. Denver Lauer scored her 13th run of the season in the bottom of the first off of Abby Polk's first sacrificed fly of the season. Polk scored run number two of the game for Upstate, her first of the game, in the bottom of the third while Sierra Maness and the Spartans defense kept the Highlanders off the board. Upstate opened the flood gates in the bottom of the sixth, scoring five runs and hitting three homeruns out of Cyrill Stadium. Alanna Deal began the offensive carnage with a solo homerun over left field. Carson Shaw kept things going with a homerun over center field that also brought home pinch runner Carson Bradsher. Taliyah Thomas capped the five-run inning with a homerun over left center that also escorted Polk home for her second run of the game. Despite six innings of solid defense, the Highlanders were able to score one run in the top of the seventh with a solo homerun over to right center that would finish the game 7-1 for an Upstate victory. Sierra Maness made her 13th start of the season and earned her fifth win of the season after throwing three strikeouts and 105 total pitches across 7.0 innings pitched.  

After a scoreless first inning, Radford was able to get on the board first to start game two of the day. Alyssa Kelly made her third start of the season in game two and had three strikeouts in her 2.0 innings pitched (46 pitches). Maddie Drerup made her ninth appearance of the season as she relieved Kelly in the top of the third inning and held Radford scoreless through the next three innings. With some momentum built, the Spartans found success on offense as they tallied two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Upstate and Radford sat locked at two-run apiece after five complete innings until the Highlanders scored two runs in the top of the sixth. The Spartan brought the game within one-run as Celeste Delorenzo ran for home off a double from Abigail Pippen in the bottom of the sixth. Radford scored the final runs of the game as two runners scored off a double to right center to take game two. Drerup finished the game with three strikeouts and 99 pitches thrown. 

 
  
Game Information 
Score: USC Upstate 7; Radford 1  
Records: Records: USC Upstate (10-12; 1-0 Big South); Radford (12-12; 0-1 Big South)   
Location: Cyrill Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C. 
  
How It Happened 

• B1: Denver Lauer scored the first run of the day for the Spartans as she came home from third thanks to a sacrificed fly to center field from Abby Polk (1-0). 

• B3: After being walked to first and advancing to third on an Abigail Pippen double, Polk reached home due to a throwing error from the Highlanders' first baseman (2-0). 

• B6: Alanna Deal extended the Spartans lead to three runs as she hit a solo homerun over left field (3-0). 

• B6: Carson Shaw slammed the second homerun of the game out of the park over center field and brought pinch runner Carson Bradsher home with her (5-0). 

• B6: With a full count and two outs on the board, Taliyah Thomas hit the third homerun of the inning over left center to score one run herself and one run for Polk as well (7-0). 

• T7: Wolfe helped the Highlanders' avoid the shutout loss with a solo homerun over right center in the top of the seventh (7-1). 

Game Information 
Score: USC Upstate 3; Radford 6 
Records: Records: USC Upstate (10-13; 1-1 Big South); Radford (13-12; 1-1 Big South)   
Location: Cyrill Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C. 
  
How It Happened 

• T2: Radford got on the board first in game two as Shedrick sent one over the left center and brought Smith home for two runs scored (2-0). 

• B4: Abby Polk grounded out to the Highlanders' second baseman but allowed enough time for pinch runner Kailey Canupp to score and pinch runner Morgan Langley to advance to third (2-1).  

• B4: Taliyah Thomas was able to reach first while Langley reached home safely due to an error on Radford's shortstop (2-2). 

• T6: Roberts hit a sacrificed fly to patiently waiting Denver Lauer, which not only scored Bechtol, but also scored Shedrick due to an error from Upstate's first baseman (4-2). 

• B6: Celeste Delorenzo brought the game within one run as she came home off Abigail Pippen's double after hitting a double of her own a few plays prior (4-3).  

• T7: A final double to right center from Smith scored the final two runs of the game as Barbato and Lee reached home (6-3). 

  
Notable 

• Upstate hit a season high for homeruns in a single game with three homeruns in game one. 

• Carson Shaw hit her fourth homerun of the season in game one while Taliyah Thomas hit her second, and Alanna Deal hit her first. 

• Game two was only the second time Upstate has lost to Radford at home since the series began in 2015.  

• Every Big South softball team that played on Saturday split their double header (UPST 7-RAD 1; RAD 6- UPST 3; PC 5- WIN 2; WIN 2- PC 1; GWU 10- LWU 0; LWU 4-GWU 0). 

  
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