SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Overcoming a two-plus-hour lightning and rain delay and displaying its resilience for the second straight game, USC Upstate baseball marked its return to Big South Conference play with another come-from-behind victory, earning a gritty 10-7 with a four-spot to regain the lead in the eighth inning Friday evening at Cleveland S. Harley Park.
 
Before entering the game's two-hour weather delay precipitated by lighting and storms rolling through the area, Upstate held a 5-3 advantage built upon four long balls through the first four-and-a-half innings. Not to be out done by one another, the trio of redshirt senior shortstop Troy Hamilton, redshirt sophomore designated hitter Noah Sullivan, and redshirt junior rightfielder Koby Kropf each launched their team and Big South-leading 13^th homers of the season, leading to four runs over the first three innings. Clubbing the team's fourth home run, redshirt sophomore second baseman Jake Armsey hit his second homer of the year to add the Spartans fifth tally.
 
Out of the delay, the Spartans tacked another run to the board in the bottom of the fifth as Kropf collected his third RBI of the night—a team high in the game—with a single into center, giving him nine RBI this week. Scoring four runs over three consecutive frames from the sixth to eighth, Charleston Southern staked its first lead at 7-6 heading into the home half of the eighth. Kickstarted by a hit-and-run RBI single from freshman catcher Tyler Lang to tie the game, Upstate plated four total in the half inning with junior leftfielder Jace Rinehart delivering the lead for good with a two-run double before redshirt senior first baseman Grant Sherrod added an insurance run with a single back through the box.
 
Coming on for the ninth inning, freshman right-hander Cooper Ellingworth notched his fourth save of the season with a scoreless frame, allowing just one baserunner which he left stranded while striking out one. Redshirt junior righty Jake Cubbler earned a decision in his fourth consecutive appearance, earning his third win of the season after working 3.2 innings following the delay, striking out four.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 10; Charleston Southern 7
Records: USC Upstate (26-13; 11-2 Big South); Charleston Southern (16-22; 8-5 Big South)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened

• B2: Jumping on the first pitch of the second inning, Troy Hamilton launched a solo home run to deep left, opening the day's scoring with his 13^th homer of the season to give Upstate the early lead.
• T3: Fighting back to tie the game, Charleston Southern evened the game on a single to left from Gavin Bogdanchik, scoring Cade Conway from second.
• B3: Backing himself and breaking the 1-1 deadlock, Noah Sullivan hits a 111 mile per hour rocket out of the park to left—his 13^th homer of the year. The Spartans tacked on two additional runs in the frame as Koby Kropf hit his 13^th home run of the year with another laser to left.
• B4: Hanging another run on the board behind a long ball, Jake Armsey exited the yard to left as his second homer of the year pushed the advantage to 5-1.
• T5: Getting a pair of runs back and cutting into the Upstate lead, the Buccaneers put two on the board with a home run from Chandler Tuupo.
• B5: Adding another run, Kropf picked up his third RBI of the night with a single into center.
• T6: Earning a pair of runs back against their deficit, Charleston Southern took advantage of a throwing error and three free bases to cut the Spartan lead to one.
• T7: Charleston Southern battled back to tie the game in the seventh behind a solo shot from Dakota Miller.
• T8: Leading off the eighth, Christian Bauman hit a solo home run to right to give Charleston Southern its first lead of the night.
• B8: Sending 10 batters to the plate in the inning, Upstate battled its way back, tying the game and taking the lead with a four-spot in the frame. Stepping to the plate with a pair of runners on, pinch hitter Tyler Lang knotted the game with a single to left as the Spartans employed the hit-and-run. Delivering the lead, Jace Rinehart's second double of the night plated two with pinch runner Kyle Henington scoring from first on the play. Tacking on another insurance run, Grant Sherrod singled through the middle to drive home Rinehart and close the day's scoring.

 
Notable

• With their home runs Friday, Troy Hamilton, Koby Kropf, and Noah Sullivan each recorded their team-leading 13^th homers of the season, totals which rank as the second-most home runs in a single season in the team's Division I era (2007-pres.). The Spartans entered Friday's game as one of five teams in the NCAA with three or more players hitting 12 or more home runs.
• Hitting four home runs in the series opener against Charleston Southern, Upstate pushed its season total to 74 behind its seventh game with four-plus home runs. The Spartans sit three homers shy of eclipsing the program's season mark for home runs (76; three times).
• Coming on a pinch runner and swiping a base before scoring the tying run Friday, Easton Cullison swiped his 51^st career stolen base as he's the lone player in the program's D1 era to steal 50-plus bases. He sits eight stolen bases shy of breaking Jason Keenan's (1997-2000) career mark of 58 steals.

 
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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