Vance Sheahan 2nd AB vs. Western Carolina Gm1 2025
Ryan Frye
7
USC Upstate UPST 1-2
10
Winner Western Carolina WCU 1-3
USC Upstate UPST
1-2
7
Final
10
Western Carolina WCU
1-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
USC Upstate UPST 1 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 7 10 1
Western Carolina WCU 1 0 2 3 0 3 0 1 X 10 13 1

W: Josh Ossiander (1-0) L: Sexton, Landon (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Vance Sheahan Collects Three Hits, Scott Newman Homers as Baseball Drops Midweek Tilt at Western Carolina

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Competing in the midweek and on the road for the first time during the newly-minted 2025 campaign, USC Upstate baseball saw an attempted late-inning rally fall short Tuesday evening, dropping a 10-7 decision to Western Carolina in the first of two early season meetings between the clubs.
 
As is becoming custom for the team's offense, the Spartans' offered its comeback attempt with a four-run seventh inning—scoring at least three runs in the seventh frame in all three games this season. The first two runs of the inning came with the bases loaded as senior designated hitter Johnny Sweeney and redshirt freshman leftfielder Henry Zenor drew a walk and hit a sac fly. Redshirt junior third baseman Jake Armsey with a double down the leftfield line, capping the four-run inning by clearing the bases.
 
Joining Armsey with a multi-RBI effort, redshirt sophomore centerfielder Scott Newman picked up a pair with his second home run of the year, a two-run shot of the scoreboard in right-center. Collecting his second multi-hit effort of the year, sophomore shortstop Vance Sheahan collected three hits, including his third double of the year—he and Armsey pace Upstate with three doubles on the season. Picking up his first career multi-hit game, junior rightfielder Wylie Waters recorded two knocks.
 
Game Information
Score: Western Carolina 10; USC Upstate 7
Records: USC Upstate (1-2; 0-0 Big South); Western Carolina (1-3; 0-0 SoCon)
Location: Childress Field at Hennon Stadium | Cullowhee, N.C.
 
How It Happened
  • T1: Stringing together three straight hits to begin the ballgame, Upstate plated one behind a gap-splitting, opposite-field double from Vance Sheahan.
  • B1: Getting its run back, Western Carolina answered early in the home half of the second as Mason Holton homered to center.
  • T2: Wrestling the lead back in the Spartans' favor, Scott Newman clanged a two-run homer off the scoreboard in right-center.
  • B3: Following a lead-off HBP, the Catamounts tied the game using an RBI double from Jaylen Jones and an RBI single from Hayden Friese, plating two to knot the game at three.
  • B4: Adding three runs to take the lead for the first time, Western Carolina used an RBI double and a two-run single from Jones and Holton, respectively.
  • B6: Tacking on another RBI to his daily total, Jones drove home one with an inside-out triple down the rightfield line. The second Catamount run came home on a squeeze play, scoring on an error by the Spartan catcher before Brayden Corn drove home the inning's final tally with a single into center.
  • T7: Cutting into the Western Carolina lead, Upstate plated four in the frame, the first coming as Upstate followed a throwing error to lead off the inning as three hitters reached with one out. Johnny Sweeney pushed in the first, drawing a walk with the bases loaded. Henry Zenor—with the bases still loaded—lifted a sac fly to dead center, adding another before Jake Armsey cleared the bases with a double down the leftfield line.
  • B8: Plating an insurance run, Corn registered another RBI with a double to right-center.
 
Notable
  • Seeing Scott Newman hit his second home run of the year—becoming the first Spartan with multiple homers in 2025—he pushed Upstate's streak of games with a long ball to three to begin the season. The stretch is the longest by the Spartans since May 18-24 when Upstate homered in four straight games.
  • Recording three more hits Tuesday, Vance Sheahan collected his second multi-hit game of the year, becoming the lone Spartan with multiple multi-hit games this season.
  • In Tuesday's game, four additional Spartans made their USC Upstate debuts with Gage Griggs, Juan Reyes, Landon Sexton, and Kai Tullos debuting. Through three games, 17 Spartans have made their debut.
 
Up Next for the Spartans
Beginning a seven-game homestand, USC Upstate returns from its first midweek contest of the year to host the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic for the third straight season. The Spartans welcome Bowling Green (Friday and Sunday) and Le Moyne (Saturday) to Cleveland S. Harley Park for the three-day event.
 
Connect with the Spartans 
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
 
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