SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Opening the new week with a four game slate, USC Upstate Softball took the field for their final home midweek game against Western Carolina where the Spartans moved their home record to 22-3 with a dominating performance through five innings.
The action quickly picked up for the Spartans with Denver Lauer being walked on a full count. Reigning Freshman of the Week, Sophia Kardatzke gave Upstate their first hit with triple to right field driving in the first run. A fielding error on first base put Kardatzke past home plate. Alanna Deal saw the advantage by smashing a two-run homer to left field extending Upstate's lead 4-0. The bats continued rolling in the bottom of the second inning with Amie Johnson and Taliyah Thomas opening with base hits to put the Catamounts in a bind. Denver Lauer cleared bases with double past the infield driving in two more runs with team total of five hits. Western Carolina avoided a no-hitter with an infield single to second base but were unable to collect a run in the top of the third. Not to be outdone by the first homer, Alanna Deal led off the bottom of the inning with a solo shot to left center for her second homerun of the day continuing the offensive firepower. The runs increased with Olivia Hall entering the fray with an infield single to send Abby Polk sprinting past home plate. Taliyah Thomas' sacrifice fly to left field took the attention away from Amie Johnson making her home putting Upstate's lead to 9-0. Western Carolina entered the scoring column at the top of the fourth with a triple to right field sending a runner in scoring position to home plate. The bottom of the fourth saw Upstate give the pitching staff of Western Carolina trouble as Sophia Kardatzke led off with a solo homerun to center field making it her 11th on the season. The hits continued to add up as Carson Shaw and Riley Vogel got on base with infield singles putting Shaw in scoring position. Hits from Abby Polk, Amie Johnson, and Liza Simmerson helped the Spartans tally two more runs while forcing a pitching change for the Catamounts. Not to be outdone, the inning continued going through the top of the lineup with Denver Lauer's double through the right side driving in two more runs. The final run of the inning came from Carson Shaw finding a sweet spot through the middle extending the lead to 16-1. Western Carolina entered the top of the fifth adding three hits while adding two runs from a double to right center but the Spartans were able to collect a third out to win in run-rule fashion.
Notable
Up Next for the Spartans
Wrapping up the final home midweek game at Cyrill Stadium, Upstate Softball will make quick trip to Boiling Springs, North Carolina for a Big South conference weekend series against Gardner-Webb beginning Friday, April 18th at 4:00 P.M. and wrapping up Saturday April 19th with a doubleheader at 2:00 & 4:00 P.M.
SAVE THE DATE FOR SPARTY'S BALL – MAY 17th – Support USC Upstate Athletics at Sparty's Ball, the largest fundraising event of the year for the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF), to be held Saturday, May 17, 2025 at the Milliken Club at Fifth Third Park. For tickets, sponsorship and auction information, click here!
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