CHARLESTON, S.C. – USC Upstate softball began its second Big South conference series with a split day against Charleston Southern after taking a 1-0 loss on Sunday afternoon and finishing the day with a 9-5 win. The Spartans will look to win the series with the final game scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. first pitch on Monday.
The Spartans started the second Big South series of the season against the Bucs with five complete scoreless innings. Charleston Southern was able to break the scoring drought with one run late in the sixth inning which ultimately led to Upstate's second conference loss of the season. Celeste Delorenzo had the Spartans' lone hit of the game in the top of the first. Maddie Drerup made her ninth start of the season in game one and had four strikeouts across 6.0 innings pitched with 108 total pitches thrown.
Game two was a different story as the Bucs got on two runs on the board in the top of the first. The Spartans were quick to respond as they tallied three runs in the top of the second. Lex Difato got Upstate on the board as she came home off Alanna Deal's first hit of the day, a single to center field. Taliyah Thomas kept Upstate's momentum going as she came home off Celeste Delorenzo's single to right field. Abigail Pippen gave the Spartans' the lead as she scored off Lauer's single to left field. The Spartans' extended their lead in the fifth inning as Pippen, Stern, Lauer, and Polk all scored runs in the top of the fifth, before CSU also scored two runs (7-4). The Bucs brought the game within two runs with a final run in the sixth, but it was runs from Amie Johnson and Cassie Norris that finished the game 9-5 with the final two runs scoring in the top of the seventh. Sierra Maness made her 15th start of the season and had two strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched. Alyssa Kelly made her 11th appearance of the season, as she relieved Maness to pitch the final inning.
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 0; Charleston Southern 1
Records: Records: USC Upstate (12-14; 2-2 Big South) vs. Charleston Southern (14-13; 0-1 Big South)
Location: CSU Softball Complex | Charleston, S.C.
How It Happened
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 9; Charleston Southern 5
Records: Records: USC Upstate (13-14; 3-2 Big South) vs. Charleston Southern (14-14; 1-1 Big South)
Location: CSU Softball Complex | Charleston, S.C.
How It Happened
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B1: The Bucs got on the board early as Schoeneweis hit a single to left field to send Lee home from third.
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B2: Charleston Southern extended its lead to two runs after Brooks scored off Johnson's sacrificed fly to right field (2-0).
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T2: Alanna Deal helped Upstate secure its first run of the day as her single to center field sent left fielder, Lex Difato running home (2-1).
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T2: Taliyah Thomas tied the game 2-s as she came home, just before Alanna Deal came home for the one-run lead off Celeste Delorenzo's single to right field (3-2).
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T5: Abigail Pippen extended the Spartans' lead while pinch hitter Emily Stern advanced to second off a single to left field from Denver Lauer (4-2).
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T5: Pinch hitter Mallory Clark pushed Upstate's lead to three runs as her single to right field sent pinch hitter, Stern home (5-2).
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T5: Denver Lauer was able to safely get home as Cassie Norris reached first on a fielder's choice and Amie Johnson was called out at second (6-2).
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T5: Pinch runner, Kailey Canupp was caught trying to steal second which gave Abby Polk the ability to run home (7-2).
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B5: Johnson helped cut the Spartans' lead down as her sacrificed fly out to Denver Luer scored Jones (7-3).
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B5:Dimond finished the Bucs' scoring in the fifth as she came home off Prince's double to center (7-4).
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B6: Dimond once again, helped to chip away at Upstate's lead as her single up the middle scored Lee and advanced Jones to second (7-5).
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T7: Cassie Norris scored her first run of the day as she came home off Deal's single to left field.
Notable
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Upstate's most recent loss to Charleston Southern, before today's games, was April 15, 2022 (L, 16-0).
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Abigail Pippen is currently riding a 12-game reached base streak.
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Alanna Deal has her fourth multi-RBI game of the season (2), as Celeste Delorenzo had her fifth (2).
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Deal had a season-high four hits against the Bucs in game two.
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Deal (4) had her sixth multi-hit game of the season while Delorenzo (6), Lauer (4), Polk (4), and Difato (2) all added to their multi-hit games of the season.
Up Next for the Spartans
Upstate will finish the series with a final game against the Bucs, Monday at 4:00 p.m. in Charleston, S.C.
Tickets on Sale for Sparty's Ball – Saturday, May 18
Support USC Upstate Athletics at Sparty's Ball, the largest fundraiser of the year for the Upstate Athletic Fund. The UAF impacts current and future generations of Spartans, developing champions on the field, building scholars in the classroom, and preparing leaders for life. Presented by the Sports Medicine Institute, a division of Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, Sparty's Ball features live and silent auction items, delicious food from Cribbs Catering, beverages, and live entertainment from Under the Sun, and held at a new location, Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg. Come dressed in your Spartan best—cocktail attire is required. For details and tickets, log onto www.upstatespartans.com/spartysball.
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