Kane Sweeney Postgame Silly String vs. Boston College Gm1 2025
Natalia Moll
7
Boston College BC 0-1
10
Winner USC Upstate UPST 1-0
Boston College BC
0-1
7
Final
10
USC Upstate UPST
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston College BC 0 1 0 2 0 0 2 1 1 7 10 0
USC Upstate UPST 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 3 X 10 12 3

W: Bianchini, Max (1-0) L: Tyler Mudd (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Four Late-Inning Homers Power Baseball to Season-Opening Victory Over Boston College, Earning Head Coach Kane Sweeney His First Career Victory

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Ushering in a new era, one permeated by many new faces, the adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same, rang true for USC Upstate baseball Friday night in the club's 10-7 victory over Boston College, the first career victory for head coach Kane Sweeney at the helm of the Spartan program.
 
Despite seeing Sweeney move from the dugout to the third base coaching box—Sweeney spent the past five seasons as the team's hitting coach—and a roster featuring 26 new players, Upstate's offense picked up right where it left off following its record-breaking 2024 season. Spurring their late-inning comeback, the Spartans slugged four home runs—something they did 10 times en route to 108 homers last season—in the final two innings, tying the game, taking the lead, and adding insurance for the win.
 
Trailing by two entering the home half of the seventh, Upstate ended the inning accomplishing a feat it hadn't all of last season as sophomore shortstop Vance Sheahan, junior first baseman Wylie Waters, and senior designated hitter Johnny Sweeney went back-to-back-to-back with the long ball in a four-run seventh inning. The three homers came on three straight pitches and left the yard to all fields, helping Upstate to a lead it wouldn't relinquish.
 
Not to be outdone in the eighth, redshirt sophomore centerfielder Scott Newman uncorked a no-doubt blast to left-center with his three-run blast delivering the game's final margin. Newman's homer capped a three-hit effort while Sheahan finished a triple shy of the cycle with four hits, three going for extra bases (two doubles and a home run).
 
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Cooper Ellingworth earned the start on the mound, striking out five over 4.0 innings of work. In relief, redshirt sophomore Max Bianchini struck out a pair over three innings of work with junior righty Braden Consaul and redshirt sophomore right-hander Amp Phillips each turning in 1.0 innings of solid relief apiece to close out the game.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 10; Boston College 7
Records: USC Upstate (1-0; 0-0 Big South); Boston College (0-1; 0-0 ACC)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
  • T2: Getting a pair of runners in scoring position employing a double steal, Boston College pushed across the day's first run via sacrifice fly as Jack Toomey drove home his first of three RBI.
  • T4: Closing out his three-RBI day, Tommey slugged the Eagles' lone long ball with a two-run shot to left-center.
  • B6: Stringing a pair of hits together to lead off the frame, Upstate notched its first tally in the scoring column as Wylie Water drove home Alex Ritzer on a groundball to third base. Johnny Sweeney plated the second Spartan run with a double to center before tying the ball game as he scampered home on a wild pitch, knotting things at three.
  • T7: Taking advantage of three Spartan errors in the inning, Boston College regained the lead with two runs off Upstate miscues. The first came across after a dropped fly ball while a throwing error on a steal attempt led the run two.
  • B7: Driving three straight pitches out of the yard, Vance Sheahan (two-run shot), Waters (solo shot), and Sweeney (solo shot) went back-to-back-to-back for the Spartans, driving home four.
  • T8: Seeing Upstate trade a run for two outs, Boston College brought home a run as Jace Koossien scored on a double play.
  • B8: Uncorking a three-run blast to deep left-center, Scott Newman put three on the board for the Spartans in the eighth.
  • T9: The Eagles capped the night's scoring as Adam Magpoc plated a run with an RBI single into center.
 
Notable
  • Friday's victory marked the first career win for head coach Kane Sweeney leading the USC Upstate program. He becomes the second straight Spartan head coach to win his first career game leading the Upstate program, following his college coach Mike McGuire (W, 4-0 versus Long Island in 2020).
  • Vance Sheahan, Wylie Waters, and Johnny Sweeney's back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning marked the Spartans' first three-homer inning since March 30, 2024, versus UNC Asheville. Last season, Upstate notched two three-homer innings both featuring back-to-back homers, but not three consecutive long balls.
  • Adding a pair of doubles and a single to his home run, Sheahan finished a triple shy of the cycle as he tied his career-high with four hits.
  • In Friday's season opener, eight Spartans made their debuts with Max Bianchini, Preston Lucas, Scott Newman, Amp Phillips, Alex Ritzer, Wylie Waters, Cayden Wotipka, and Henry Zenor debuting.
 
Connect with the Spartans 
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
 
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS - Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!
Print Friendly Version