SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Renewing the Ingles I-26 Rivalry Series with the final three meetings between the Spartans and Bulldogs during the 2024-25 academic year, USC Upstate baseball heads north, closing the 2025 regular season with a three-game set at UNC Asheville. The Spartans seek to extend their 20-9-1 advantage in the series and build upon last season's sweep of the Bulldogs.
 
Weekend Series
May 15-17, 2025 | 5:00 p.m. / 2:00 p.m. / 12:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (30-23; 16-5 Big South) vs. UNC Asheville (15-32; 8-13 Big South)
Greenwood Baseball Field | Asheville, N.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 (30-23; 16-5 Big South); UNC Asheville (15-32; 8-13 Big South)
Series: USC Upstate leads 20-9-1
Last Five Meetings: March 30, 2024 (UPST 7; AVL 6); March 29, 2024 (UPST 10; AVL 9); March 28, 2024 (UPST 14; AVL 4); April 16, 2023 (AVL 10; UPST 7); April 15, 2023 (AVL 9; UPST 4)
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | UNC Asheville
Game One: RHP Amp Phillips (5-2; 4.36 ERA) | RHP Garrett Crum (2-3; 5.56 ERA)
Game Two: RHP Darin Kuskie (5-1; 4.47 ERA) | RHP Clay Edmondson (5-1; 2.23 ERA)
Game Three: LHP Chris Torres (7-4; 4.39 ERA) | To Be Announced
 
Players to Watch
USC Upstate
Pitcher: Earning his team-leading seventh victory behind his team-best eighth quality start, sophomore left-handed pitcher Chris Torres earned his second consecutive and third overall Big South Starting Pitcher of the Week honor. Behind 6.0 innings of one-run baseball against Presbyterian that featured four strikeouts, he becomes the second Big South starting pitcher to win the honor in consecutive weeks this season, joining teammate, redshirt sophomore right-hander Amp Phillips. Torres enters the final weekend of the regular season with a 7-4 record and 4.39 ERA while striking out 67 batters.
 
Position Player: Slashing .421/.455/.579 in the Spartans' three-game series against Presbyterian, redshirt freshman leftfielder Henry Zenor captured his third Big South Freshman of the Week accolade. Atop the team's batting order, he's in the midst of a career-long eight-game hitting streak while leading Upstate with 23 multi-hit games, including tying his career high with three hits Tuesday at College of Charleston. He enters the UNC Asheville series with a .355 average and a team-high 19 doubles.
 
UNC Asheville
Pitcher: Posting a 2.23 ERA, a mark that ranks 16^th in the NCAA entering the weekend, redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Clay Edmondson heads the UNC Asheville rotation, leading the staff with 12 starts. Owning a 5-1 record, he's struck out 81 hitters over 76.2 innings of work—nearly 30 innings more than the next closest Bulldog—posting a 9.51 strikeout per nine innings total.
 
Position Player: One of four Bulldog regulars hitting greater than .300 on the season, freshman catcher Blaize Johnson posts a team-best .339 batting average, fashioning his average over 38 games. He paces UNC Asheville with 13 doubles on the year, ranking sixth in the league in doubles per game (0.34). Johnson also posts six homers and 28 RBI on the season.
 
Up Next for the Spartans
With the regular season concluded, USC Upstate turns its attention to the Big South Baseball Championship. The event takes place from May 21-24 from Truist Point in High Point, N.C.
 
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!
 
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!