SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Coming off a three-game Easter weekend sweep of UNC Asheville in the Ingles I-26 Rivalry Series, USC Upstate baseball heads back to Fluor Field—the home of the Greenville Drive—to continue its three-game midweek series against Clemson, hosting the No. 2 Tigers Tuesday evening.
Tuesday's Matchup
April 2, 2024 | 6:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (18-11; 7-2 Big South) vs. No. 2 Clemson (24-3; 7-2 ACC)
Fluor Field at the West End | Greenville, S.C.
How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (18-11; 7-2 Big South); Clemson (24-3; 7-2 ACC)
Series: Clemson leads 8-2
Last Five Meetings: Feb. 27, 2024 (CLEM 12; UPST 6); May 16, 2023 (CLEM 12; UPST 2 [8 inn.]); Feb. 28, 2023 (UPST 6; CLEM 3); April 12, 2022 (CLEM 11; UPST 2); March 1, 2022 (CLEM 8; UPST 5)
Probable Starting Pitcher
USC Upstate | Clemson
RHP
Cooper Ellingworth (4-1; 6.45 ERA) | RHP Billy Barlow (3-1; 3.54 ERA)
Players to Watch
USC Upstate: Driving home eight runs last week, redshirt senior first baseman
Grant Sherrod continues to prove the top run producer in the Big South Conference and one of the best in the country as he ranks second in the NCAA in total RBI with 45. He also slugged a pair of historic home runs for the Spartans as part of his second career multi-homer effort, hitting his 24
th career homer to break Charlie Carpenter's Division I era (2007-pres.) career record before his 25
th career long ball broke the D1 era single-season team home run mark, the 54
th of the campaign. He enters Tuesday's game sporting a three-slash line of .347/.401/.636, hitting nine homers, driving in 45, and scoring 34 runs.
Clemson: Ranking second in the ACC with 40 RBI, senior catcher Blake Wright leads the Tigers in the category, ranking 11
th in the NCAA. He also leads Clemson with 13 homers, the only Tiger with seven or more long balls this season, placing third in the ACC. He's fashioned a slash line of .333/.378/.709 on the season and leads Clemson in hits, home runs, RBI, runs scored, and slugging percentage entering Tuesday's game.
Up Next for the Spartans
Following Tuesday's midweek contest, the Spartans return to Big South Conference play, trekking to Rock Hill, S.C. for a three-game set with Winthrop. Upstate meets the Eagles Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET with Saturday's contest featured as part of a USC Upstate doubleheader on ESPNU.
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.
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
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