SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Going for its fifth straight Big South Conference series victory, USC Upstate baseball secured said series win behind a 14-4 run-rule victory Sunday afternoon against Longwood at Cleveland S. Harley Park. Registering the run-rule with one out in the eighth inning, redshirt freshman Henry Zenor used a single into the four-hole to walk-off the Lancers.
 
Setting the tone for the Spartans in the series' rubber match, sophomore left-handed pitcher Chris Torres recorded his seventh quality start of 2025 behind 6.0 scoreless innings, permitting just three hits and five baserunners. Picking up a strikeout in each of his innings of work, he struck out seven hitters.
 
Backing his battery mate, junior catcher Preston Lucas followed his career-high run production Saturday with another career-best output Sunday, driving home six for the Spartans. Part of a 3-for-5 day, he slugged a pair of three-run homers, fashioning his first career multi-homer game with long balls in consecutive at-bats in the fifth and sixth innings.
 
Adding to his walk-off hit, Zenor recorded three hits with a home run, one of three Spartans with a multi-hit and multi-RBI effort. Senior designated hitter Johnny Sweeney joined Lucas and Zenor to complete the trio, registering two hits and three RBI.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 14; Longwood 4 (8 inn.)
Records: USC Upstate (26-22; 13-5 Big South); Longwood (11-37; 5-16 Big South)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened

• B3: Beginning the scoring he'd later close, Henry Zenor launched a solo shot to right to open a two-run frame for Upstate. The team's second run crossed as Scott Newman beat out an infield single with the bases loaded.
• B5: Hitting the first of his two three-run homers of the day, Preston Lucas left the yard to the opposite field, adding three to the Spartans' total.
• B6: Spurring a six-run stanza, Johnny Sweeney and Lucas combined to plate five, hitting a two-run double and three-run homer, respectively.
• T7: Using an RBI double, sac fly, and two-run homer, Longwood lessened the Spartan advantage with a four-run frame.
• B7: Picking up another RBI, Sweeney laced another RBI double, scoring Scott Campbell.
• B8: After seeing a run score following a Lancer error, Zenor closed the game's scoring with an RBI single into the four-hole as Devlin Smalanskas scored.

 
Notable

• Hitting a pair of homers, Preston Lucas became the fourth Spartan in 2025 to record a multi-homer game, securing the seventh such game this season. He becomes the 14^th different Spartan in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) to record a multi-homer game.
• Adding three RBI to his season total, Johnny Sweeney ends the weekend with 76 RBI, the second most in a single season in program history, trailing Grant Sherrod's 78 from the 2024 season. Reaching 76 RBI, Sweeney's total ranks as the 10^th most in a single season in Big South Conference history.
• Henry Zenor's walk-off Sunday marked the Spartans' first walk-off since March 29, 2024, versus UNC Asheville. The walk-off marked the first of the D1 era to secure a run-rule victory.

 
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.

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