COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – On the road to begin the team's final double midweek of the 2025 campaign, USC Upstate baseball struck first Tuesday evening but couldn't hold its momentum, falling 8-2 to Tennessee Tech at Quillen Field at Bush Stadium.
 
The lone Spartan with a multi-hit effort against the Golden Eagles, senior designated hitter Johnny Sweeney collected a pair of hits, including his team-lead-tying 13^th home run of the year. Driving home a pair with his two-run shot, he upped his season RBI total to 51, becoming the seventh Spartan in the team's Division I era (2007-pres.) to eclipse 50-plus RBI in a campaign. His multi-hit and multi-RBI game Tuesday marked his 14^th and 11^th of the season, respectively.
 
Game Information
Score: Tennessee Tech 8; USC Upstate 2
Records: USC Upstate (21-20; 8-4 Big South); Tennessee Tech (25-16; 9-6 OVC)
Location: Quillen Field at Bush Stadium | Cookeville, Tenn.
 
How It Happened

• T4: Slamming a 2-1 pitch out of the park, Johnny Sweeney slugged his 13^th homer of the year, a two-run shot to the left off the scoreboard in right-center.
• B4: Answering the Spartans, Tennessee Tech scratched five in the frame. A ground-rule double from Owen Lee drove home a pair before RBI singles from Landon Smelser and Riley Black—a two-run single—capped the scoring.
• B6: Tacking onto their lead, the Golden Eagles added two tallies, bringing home runs on a pair of fielders' choices.
• B8: Tennessee Tech added its final run on a solo homer to left from Jackson Green.

 
Notable

• Recording a pair of RBI Tuesday, Johnny Sweeney now totals 51 runs batted in on the year, becoming the seventh different Spartan in the Division I era (2007-pres.) to reach 50-plus RBI in a season. His total ties for the seventh-most RBI in a single season in the D1 era.

 
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