SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate softball collected its third Big South series win of the season after sweeping the Longwood Lancers 4-3 in eight innings in game one and 9-2 in game two.  

Game one began with a scoreless first inning for both teams and it would be the visiting Longwood Lancers who got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the second. Despite remaining scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, the Spartans remained hungry for their first run, which came in the form of a solo homerun for Celeste Delorenzo. Upstate was able to continue to hold the Lancers at two runs while tying the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth off a Lancer error that allowed Abby Polk to make her way home. With the two Big South competitors dead-locked at two a piece after seven complete innings the game advanced to extra innings where Longwood sent a solo homerun over the over right center field. Refusing to go down easy, Upstate battled through the eighth inning and came out on top as a single to right center from Abigail Polk advanced Taliyah Thomas and Darbie Lisk home for the 4-3 game one victory.    

Game two proved to be an entirely different story as the Spartans got on the board right out of the gate with two runs in the first inning. After being walked and stealing not just second but also third, Denver Lauer came home off Carson Shaw's sacrificed fly to center field. Delorenzo remained hot in game two as she took advantage of a Lancer error in the bottom of the first to give Upstate the early lead. Regardless of a quiet second inning, the Spartans were back to business with four runs scored in the bottom of the third. Lauer came home for her second run of the game after another two stolen bases put her in scoring position before a single from Alanna Deal extended Upstate's lead to three-runs. Deal came home shortly after as Delorenzo dinged her second homerun of the day over right center. Emily Stern capped the Spartans fourth inning scoring run with a single up the middle that advanced Taliyah Thomas home for a six-run lead after three complete innings. Upstate's defense held the Lancers scoreless through four complete innings as Longwood stacked two runs in the top of the fifth. The Spartans were quick to respond, loading the bases in the bottom of the fifth and bringing in one run thanks to Katie Henri who was sent running off another Longwood error. Aime Johnson and Alanna Deal scored the two final runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth to put a comeback win out of reach for the Lancers.  

Maddie Drerup made her 12th game start of the season in game one of the series with the Lancers and brought her total innings pitched to 69.2 after throwing her seventh complete game of the season. She finished the day with one strikeout against 32 batters faced. Sierra Maness made her 17th game start of the season in game two against Longwood and brought her total innings pitched to 105.0 after throwing her 12th complete game of the season. Maness finished the day with six strikeouts against 26 batters faced.  

Game Information 
Score: USC Upstate 4; Longwood 3 
Records: USC Upstate (16-15; 5-2 Big South) vs. Longwood (11-22: 4-3 Big South)  
Location: Cyrill Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C.   
 
How It Happened 

• T2: Coleman scored the first run of the day for Longwood as she came home while Vinson reached on a fielder's choice.  

• T2: Anderson extended Longwood's lead to two runs as she came home off Hiatt's sacrificed bunt (2-0).  

• B4: Celeste Delorenzo got the Spartans offense started in the bottom of the fourth with a solo homerun over center field (2-1). 

• B5: Abby Polk tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth as she was sent running home, and arrived safely due to a Lancer error, off Aime Johnson's single to left field.  

• T8: Taylor sent one over the right center field wall to give Longwood a one-run lead in extra innings (3-2).  

• B8: Abigail Pippen solidified the 4-3 win for the Spartans with a single to right center that gave both Taliyah Thomas and Darbie Lisk enough time to safely reach home.  

Game Information 
Score: USC Upstate 9; Longwood 2 
Records: USC Upstate (17-15; 6-2 Big South) vs. Longwood (11-23; 4-4 Big South)  
Location: Cyrill Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C.   
 
How It Happened 

• B1: Denver Lauer kicked things off for Upstate's offense in game two as she scored off Carson Shaw's sacrificed fly to center field.  

•  B1: Celeste Delorenzo scored her second run of the day as she gave Upstate a two-run lead in the first inning after an error from the first baseman allowed her to reach home (2-0). 

• B3: Lauer crossed home plate for the second time in game two as Alanna Deal executed a near perfect sacrificed bunt (3-0). 

• B3: Delorenzo stayed hot in game two as she brought Deal home with her off a homerun over right center (5-0). 

• B3: Emily Stern extended Upstate's lead to six-runs as her single up the middle brought Thomas home in the bottom of the third.  

• T5: Coleman once again got the Lancers on the board as she came home off Whitten's single to right center (6-1).  

• T5: Bridges helped chip at Upstate's lead as she hit a single to the short stop which advanced Zepeda home from third (6-2). 

• B5: Pinch runner Katie Henri was able to help the Upstate offense respond quickly as she took advantage of a Lancer error during Emily Stern's at bat (7-2). 

• T6: With the bases loaded, Olivia Hall pinch hit and forced the Lancers to decide between an out at second or the out at home, to which Delorenzo was called out at second but Aime Johnson safely reached home (8-2). 

• T6: Deal earned Upstate's final run of the day as she scored off Taliyah Thomas' single to Longwood's shortstop (9-2). 

Notable 

• Denver Lauer had a career-high five stolen bases in game two against Longwood while Taliyah Thomas also had a career-high four stolen bases.  

• Celeste Delorenzo hit a homerun in both of Upstate's games tonight. Taliyah Thomas was the last Spartan to hit multiple homeruns over a Big South opponent (vs. Radford). 

• Delorenzo is currently riding a 12-game reached base streak which is the second longest of the season (Abigail Pippen, 15). 

• Delorenzo also had her sixth multi-RBI game of the season in game one (2) while Pippen had her second in game two (2). 

• As a team, Upstate had a season-high 12 stolen bases in game two.  

• Darbie Lisk scored her first run of the season during game two.  

Up Next for the Spartans  

Following the Longwood series, Upstate will spend the week on the road starting with a quick trip to Cullowhee to take on the Catamounts of Western Carolina in a double-header on Tuesday before going to Clinton for a Big South series against Presbyterian.    
 
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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