SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Taking the field for day one of the Wings Etc. Classic, Upstate Softball opened with a two-game slate hosting West Georgia where the Spartans edged out the Wolves with a 6-5 final. Following the game one win, Upstate entered another battle with Youngstown State where the Spartans held their lead for a 9-7 final.
Game one vs. West Georgia (6-5, Win)
Opening action with a first-time meeting between both programs, Taliyah Thomas began with a leadoff hit followed by stealing second getting into scoring position swiftly. The Wolves were able to escape the inning leaving two runners on base keeping Upstate scoreless. As both teams began to adjust through the following two innings, West Georgia opened the scoring column going yard to left center for a solo shot, taking the 1-0 lead. Maddie Drerup held West Georgia from building more momentum at the plate, striking out a batter to end the inning. As Upstate entered the bottom of the inning, a leadoff walk from Abby Polk followed by getting in scoring position by stealing second, Taliyah Thomas knocked a double to left field sending Polk home for the tying run. Emily Stern stepped up to the plate with determination, resulting in her first collegiate homerun pushing Upstate ahead by two. The offense continued to push through as back-to-back base hits from Laney Jennings and Ella Christopher put the Wolves in a bind. Mackenzei Bernal-Mahagan extended the lead to 5-1 with a two-RBI single and Abby Polk followed with a double to left center advancing Bernal-Mahagan home for Upstate's sixth run in the inning. West Georgia followed adding a double that scored a run and looked to add a second but the connection from Laney Jennings to Alyssa Davenport tagged a runner out at third. Looking for momentum, Upstate's defense locked in a runner trying to steal second, but the timing from Jennings to Polk tagged the final out of the inning. The Wolves continued looking to rally through the following two innings with a double to right center in the fifth inning and capitalizing from an RBI single and two infield errors, cutting their deficit to one. Going into the seventh, Abby Polk coralled the final three outs to finish with a 6-5 final.
Game Two vs. Youngstown State (9-7, Win)
Entering game two, Upstate opened the scoring column, following Emily Stern's sacrifice fly advancing Taliyah Thomas home. Youngstown State responded evening the score in the top of the second as a double down the right field line set up an RBI single. With Carson Shaw adding a leadoff single at the bottom of the inning, Mackenzei Bernal-Mahagan continued her day of impact knocking a two-run bomb to left field, pushing Upstate back ahead by two runs. The Spartans were able to keep the inning alive with an infield single from Abby Polk, setting up Taliyah Thomas singling to right center to push ahead, 4-1. The Penguins open with two consecutive base hits and following with a sacrifice fly along with an RBI single, now trailing 4-3. Going into the third inning, Laney Jennings opened with a leadoff double to left center and took advantage of the groundout at first advancing closer to scoring territory. A groundout at first took the attention away from Jennings making her way home plate, extending their lead to 5-3. Chloe Poteete neutralized Youngstown State in the top of the fourth, earning the final keeping the Penguins at three. The bottom of the fourth saw the Spartans put Youngstown State's pitching staff in a bind as Mackenzei Bernal-Mahagan opened with an infield single. Following a base hit from Amie Johnson, the following two batters walked for a free base loading up the opportunity for Upstate. A wild pitch from the Penguins advanced Johnson to home plate followed by a groundout advancing Taliyah Thomas home for their eigth run. Another wild pitch from the Penguins gave Upstate their fourth run of the inning and ninth run overall with a 9-3 lead. Youngstown State responded with two solo home runs and one two-run bomb in the top of fifth, cutting their deficit to 9-7. As the game continued to tell many stories, Anna Dickinson maintained as the relief pitcher striking out two batters, while being backed up by her defense corralling the final three outs to hold on for nail-biting victory.
Notables
Up next for the Spartans
Following day one of the Wings Etc. Classic, Upstate Softball returns to the field for day two of the classic hosting Youngstown State at 1:30 P.M. eastern time followed by West Georgia at 4:00 P.M. eastern time.
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