CHARLESTON, S.C. – Continuing its three-game bye weekend as it stepped outside of Big South Conference play, USC Upstate baseball saw its series evened at a game apiece, succumbing Saturday afternoon by score of 12-2 to The Citadel at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.
 
Reaching base three times, including picking up a pair of hits, redshirt senior centerfielder Daniel Gernon and redshirt sophomore designated hitter Noah Sullivan each recorded multi-hit games for the Spartans. Sullivan registered one of Upstate's two RBI as he launched a solo home run in the sixth inning, homering for the fourth time in three games this week. His homer is his 12^th of the season, tying him for the team and Big South lead in the category.
 
Working out of the bullpen, freshman right-hander Darin Kuskie and senior left-hander Jagger Jefferis each recorded more than half of their recorded outs via strikeout, combining to strike out six over 2.2 innings. Kuskie recorded four of his five outs with a punchout while Jefferis struck out two in his scoreless inning.
 
Game Information
Score: The Citadel 12; USC Upstate 2 (7 inn.)
Records: USC Upstate (23-13; 10-2 Big South); The Citadel (16-17; 0-9 Big South)
Location: Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park | Charleston, S.C.
 
How It Happened

• B1: Taking advantage of an error, passed ball, and wild pitch, The Citadel jumped out front on a two-run single from Wells Sykes through the left side.
• B2: Adding another tally, the Bulldogs again benefit from an error as the lone run of the inning crossed following a throwing error.
• B4: Sending 10 batters to the plate, The Citadel posted a six-spot in the fourth behind four hits, a free base, and two Spartan errors. The biggest hit of the inning came as Garrett Dill hit a three-run homer to left.
• T6: Putting Upstate on the board for the first time, Noah Sullivan launched his 12^th homer of the season, a solo shot to left. The Spartans tacked on another tally as Easton Cullison beat out an infield single as Koby Kropf came into score.
• B6: Opening the inning with three consecutive hits, the Bulldogs got back the two surrendered runs with a three-run inning. Dill added a pair of RBI with a double down the leftfield line before a groundout back to the mound added the third run.

 
Notable

• Hitting a solo home run in the sixth, Noah Sullivan launched his fourth home run of the week, homering for the second time in the series with The Citadel as he's hit at least one home run in three straight games.
• His home run, his 12^th of the season, tied him for the team and Big South lead with his total, tying Troy Hamilton for the second-most home runs in a single-season in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.). Both men trail teammate Grant Sherrod's total of 15 from a season ago for the program's single-season record.

 
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 
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans