SPARTANBURG, S.C. – As the season dwindles into the final weeks, USC Upstate baseball returns from its week break with a continuation of Big South Conference play, hosting Longwood at Cleveland S. Harley Park in the team's penultimate home series of the 2025 campaign. The Spartans lead the series with the Lancers 17-2, winning all six series played between the two clubs.
 
Weekend Series
May 2-4, 2025 | 6:00 p.m. / 2:00 p.m. / 1:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (24-21; 11-4 Big South) vs. Longwood (10-35; 4-14 Big South)
Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app
Radio: Fox Sports Spartanburg 98.3 FM/1400 AM | Also available via the Fox Sports Spartanburg or TuneIn App
 
How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (24-21; 11-4 Big South); Longwood (10-35; 4-14 Big South)
Series: USC Upstate leads 17-2
Last Five Meetings: May 12, 2024 (UPST 8; LWU 5); May 11, 2024 (LWU 9; UPST 7); May 10, 2024 (UPST 8; LWU 1); April 7, 2023 (UPST 5; LWU 4); April 6, 2023 (UPST 2; LWU 0)
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | Longwood
Game One: RHP Amp Phillips (4-1; 3.81 ERA) | RHP Guillermo Garcia Jr. (3-5; 7.28 ERA)
Game Two: RHP Darin Kuskie (3-1; 4.23 ERA) | To Be Announced
Game Three: LHP Chris Torres (5-4; 5.20 ERA) | RHP Joe Castrichini (1-2; 9.78 ERA)
 
Players to Watch
USC Upstate
Pitcher: After earning his fourth consecutive quality start with 6.0 scoreless innings against Gardner-Webb last Friday, redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Amp Phillips captured his third Big South Starting Pitcher of the Week nod. He's brought home the honor following each of his last three conference starts. He enters the weekend series posting a 3.81 ERA over 52.0 innings of work, pitching to a 4-1 record with 48 strikeouts.
 
Position Player: Adding 10 RBI to his yearly total last weekend at Gardner-Webb, senior designated hitter Johnny Sweeney became the ninth Spartan in program history to record a 60-RBI season. His 61 RBI ranks as the fourth-most in a single season in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) and the 10^th-most in a single season in program history. Sweeney enters the weekend ranked ninth in the NCAA in total RBI while sporting a .359/.490/.706 slash line.
 
Longwood
Pitcher: The lone Lancer to make all his appearances as a starting pitcher, graduate student right-handed pitcher Guillermo Garcia Jr. has thrown a team-high 59.1 innings on the year. He posts a 3-5 record and 7.28 ERA over 11 starts while fashioning a .274 opponent's batting average and 59 strikeouts.
 
Position Player: Swiping 28 bags on the season, junior outfielder Tré Keels leads the Big South in the category, posting his total in 30 attempts. He slashes .238/.350/.464 on the year and leads Longwood with eight home runs and 44 runs scored in 2025. Of note, six of his 28 steals come during conference play.
 
Up Next for the Spartans
Facing the team's penultimate midweek contest of the year, USC Upstate heads to Georgia State Tuesday evening. The Spartans and Panthers meet for a 6 p.m. ET first pitch.

Connect with the Spartans 
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartans 
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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!
 
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!