SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After splitting Saturday's doubleheader with Gardner-Webb, USC Upstate softball not only claimed its fifth consecutive Big South series win but also secured its spot as the No. 1 seed in the Big South Softball Tournament for the second time in program history with their 5-1 win on Monday. The Spartans have claimed the No. 1 seed with one Big South series remaining. 

With the Big South Softball Tournament nearing, both teams knew they were in for a battle as Upstate continued to fight for the No. 1 seed and Gardner-Webb fought to secure a place in the tournament. The Runnin' Bulldogs got on the board first as one run came in for the visitors in the top of the first. After a scoreless second and third inning, the Spartans came alive, not only getting on the board but taking the lead from the visiting Bulldogs. With one out and two on base, Cassie Norris hit a single to left field to advance pinch runner Kailey Canupp to second and Alanna Deal home from second. Canupp was sent running home shortly after as second baseman Abby Polk sent her single to center field, giving Upstate a one-run lead after four complete innings. Not satisfied with a one-run lead, the Spartans stacked three runs in the bottom of the fifth while holding the Runnin' Bulldogs to just one run. Carson Shaw kicked off the Spartans' fifth inning scoring frenzy as her single to left field was enough to advance the loaded bases and bring Taliyah Thomas across home plate. All Spartans on a bag were once again advanced as Norris once again singled to left field, this time scoring Delorenzo. Deal capped the Spartans game three scoring as she reached home safely on pinch hitter Olivia Hall's sacrificed fly to left field.  

Alyssa Kelly made her fifth start of the season and collected her fourth win after earning four strikeouts in her second complete game. Kelly threw her first complete game of the season in the last Big South series against Presbyterian and was able to help Upstate sweep a Big South opponent for the second time this season. Game three of the series saw Kelly throw a season high 105 pitches and surrender only one run for the second consecutive game. 

Game Information 
Score: USC Upstate 5; Gardner-Webb 1 
Records: USC Upstate (24-17; 12-3 Big South); Gardner-Webb University (30-18; 6-9 Big South)  
Location: Cyrill Softball Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C.      
 
How It Happened 

• T1: Lyon was able to give Gardner-Webb get its lone run of the game as her single to left field sent McLaughlin running home (1-0).  

• B4: Alanna Deal earned Upstate its first run of the game as she came home off Cassie Norris' single to left field (1-1).  

• B4: Pinch runner Kailey Canupp came home shortly after thanks to Abby Polk's single to center field (2-1).  

• B5: With the bases loaded, Carson Shaw sent a single to left field to stretch Upstate's lead to three runs (3-1). 

• B5: Celeste Delorenzo helped continue to push the Spartans' lead as she came home off Cassie Norris' single to left field (4-1). 

• B5: Pinch hitter, Olivia Hall pushed Upstate's lead to four runs as her sacrificed fly out to left field scored Alanna Deal (5-1). 

Notable 

• This is the fifth consecutive season the Spartans have taken the Big South series against the Runnin' Bulldogs. 

• Denver Lauer had her third consecutive game with multiple hits, bringing her to 10 multi-hit games this season (the most on the team).  

• Cassie Norris also had a multi-hit game with her two hits, bringing her to six multi-hit games this season. 

• Celeste Delorenzo extends her reached base streak to 21, the longest streak of the season for any Spartan, while Abby Polk is currently on a six-game reached base streak. 

• Alyssa Kelly earned wins in back-to-back game appearances to bring her record to 4-2. Kelly has won game three of the series against Big South opponents for the second consecutive series. 

Up Next for the Spartans  

The Spartans finish the week hosting the Bulldogs of South Carolina State on Wednesday in a doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m. Upstate will take the remainder of the week to focus on finals before preparing to play South Carolina and Winthrop next week.  

 
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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