Noah Sullivan Fifth Inning vs. Gardner-Webb Gm 1 2024
Emily Rangel
13
Winner USC Upstate UPST 23-12
5
The Citadel CIT 15-17
Winner
USC Upstate UPST
23-12
13
Final
5
The Citadel CIT
15-17
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
USC Upstate UPST 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 0 6 13 13 0
The Citadel CIT 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 5 9 2

W: Sullivan, Noah (8-1) L: Swygert (3-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Behind Three Homers, Offense Backs Career-Long Outing From Noah Sullivan, Leading to Series-Opening Victory at The Citadel

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Stepping outside of Big South Conference play for the first of the team's two bye weeks, USC Upstate baseball continued its winning ways, pushing its winning streak to five behind a 13-5 series-opening victory over The Citadel Friday evening at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.
 
Earning the win in his eighth consecutive start—the longest streak by a Spartan starting pitcher of consecutive starts earning a win in program history—redshirt sophomore right-hander Noah Sullivan tossed a career-high 8.0 innings while striking out three en route to his league-leading eighth victory. Backing himself with multiple runs batted in for the fifth time this season, he drove home three with a three-run shot in the ninth as part of a 2-for-5 day at the plate.
 
Joining Sullivan with multi-hit and multi-RBI games, redshirt junior rightfielder Koby Kropf and redshirt senior catcher David Pereira each recorded a pair of hits, going back-to-back with solo homers to open the seventh inning. Kropf's home run, his 10th of the season, makes him the fifth Spartan to hit 10 or more home runs in 2024.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 13; The Citadel 5
Records: USC Upstate (23-12; 10-2 Big South); The Citadel (15-17; 0-9 SoCon)
Location: Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park | Charleston, S.C.
 
How It Happened
  • T2: Seeing the first two batters of the inning reaching, David Pereira opened the game's scoring as he drove home Jace Rinehart with a single back through the middle. Upstate added another tally to its total as Vance Sheahan picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded.
  • B2: The Citadel fought back to tie the game using a pair of hits in the inning, scoring the two runs via an opposite-field home run from Anthony Hausner.
  • T5: Loading the bases with two outs following a single, double, and intentional walk, the Spartans retook the lead as Koby Kropf split the right-center gap with a double, driving home two. Upstate added another as the new Bulldog reliever walked the lone two batters he faced as Easton Cullison notched the RBI.
  • B5: Using a pair of hits in the inning, The Citadel plated a run as a ball dropped in no-mans land in short right with the run scoring before Kropf gunned down the runner attempting to stretch a single to a double.
  • T7: Opening the new frame, Kropf and Pereira went back-to-back, sending a pair of lasers out of the yard to left.
  • B8: Scratching a pair of runs, the Bulldogs used a sac fly and fielder's choice to pull within two at the conclusion of the eighth.
  • T9: Taking advantage of four consecutive one-out free bases, Upstate plated another run as Troy Hamilton drew a bases-loaded walk, opening a six-run inning. Adding another tally, Grant Sherrod drove in a run with a sac fly to right before Jace Rinehart doubled into the leftfield corner, pushing across a third run. The biggest hit of the inning came as Noah Sullivan launched a three-run homer well out of the park to left-center, closing the game's scoring.
 
Notable
  • Going back-to-back to begin the seventh, Koby Kropf and David Pereira recorded the fourth instance Spartans hitting back-to-back home runs this season, also doing so on Feb. 24 versus Canisius, on Feb. 25 versus Saint Joseph's, and on March 30 versus UNC Asheville. Opening the inning with consecutive homers, it marked the third time this season hitting back-to-back homers to lead off an inning, doing so on Feb. 25 against Saint Joseph's and March 30 against UNC Asheville.
  • Reaching the 10 home run plateau with his leadoff homer in the seventh inning, Kropf became the fifth Spartan in 2024 with 10 or more home runs, joining Troy Hamilton (12), Jace Rinehart (10), Grant Sherrod (10), and Noah Sullivan (11). Friday's game marks the second straight game as Spartan has reached 10 homers this season as Sullivan did so Tuesday at Clemson with his multi-homer day.
  • Recording three RBI against The Citadel, Friday's game marked the fifth this season that Sullivan has recorded multiple runs batted in to back his performance on the mound. The game stands as the fourth time this season he's driven in three runs in a game in which he starts on the mound in 2024.
  • Picking up an RBI Friday, Grant Sherrod becomes the first Spartan in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) with multiple seasons with 50 or more RBI. His 50-plus RBI season in 2024 is the fourth in the era, joining his 2023 season (66), Devin Buckner (51 in 2022), and Noah Rabon (56 in 2022).
 
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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