Tuesday, February 17
Spartanburg, S.C.
3:00 p.m.
University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
2-2
17
vs
0
Western Carolina
3-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Western Carolina
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
USC Upstate
0
13
1
0
0
0
1
2
X
17
18
2
Photo by: Catherine Harney
Jake Armsey's Career-High Five RBI Sparks Offense, Backing Strong Pitching in 17-0 Shutout Victory over Western Carolina
2/17/2026 8:32:00 PM | Baseball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Seeing its home opener coincide with the season's first midweek contest for the first time in Cleveland S. Harley Park history, USC Upstate baseball captured its second straight home opener victory in the Kane Sweeney era, besting Western Carolina 17-0 Tuesday afternoon.
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Taking the ball for the Spartans, sophomore left-handed pitcher Max Kaplan and redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Jacob Kirby combined for 10 strikeouts while allowing seven baserunners—two were promptly dispatched via a pickoff and a double play—fashioning Upstate's first shutout victory of the season. Making his sixth career start, Kaplan tossed 6.0 scoreless frames, striking out seven, earning the win. In his first career appearance, Kirby worked 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out three en route to the save.
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Backing the strong pitching, Upstate's bats broke out the tune of 17 runs on 17 hits, including a 13-run explosion in the second inning. The Spartans' second inning marked their highest-scoring frame since scoring 13 runs in the fifth inning against Rider on March 10, 2024. Seventeen batters stepped to the plate in Tuesday's second frame as every member of the starting lineup notched either a hit or an RBI in the stanza.
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Redshirt senior third baseman Jake Armsey headed the Spartans' effort at the plate, driving home a career-high five runs—the most single-game RBI by a Spartan since Vance Sheahan's seven against UNC Asheville on May 17, 2025—as part of a 3-for-5 day that included his 10th career home run, a three-run shot in the 13-run second inning. Two other Spartans, junior first baseman Clayton Campidilli and senior catcher Preston Lucas, both homered, giving Upstate its first multi-homer game of the year.
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Lacing a career-high four hits, redshirt sophomore centerfielder Henry Zenor collected his second straight game with three or more hits atop the Spartan order. Redshirt freshman leftfielder Trey Bentley joined Armsey, Campadilli, and Zenor with a multi-hit day, collecting two hits.
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Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 17; Western Carolina 0
Records: USC Upstate (2-2; 0-0 Big South); Western Carolina (3-1; 0-0 SoCon)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
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How It Happened
Notable
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
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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!
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Taking the ball for the Spartans, sophomore left-handed pitcher Max Kaplan and redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Jacob Kirby combined for 10 strikeouts while allowing seven baserunners—two were promptly dispatched via a pickoff and a double play—fashioning Upstate's first shutout victory of the season. Making his sixth career start, Kaplan tossed 6.0 scoreless frames, striking out seven, earning the win. In his first career appearance, Kirby worked 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out three en route to the save.
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Backing the strong pitching, Upstate's bats broke out the tune of 17 runs on 17 hits, including a 13-run explosion in the second inning. The Spartans' second inning marked their highest-scoring frame since scoring 13 runs in the fifth inning against Rider on March 10, 2024. Seventeen batters stepped to the plate in Tuesday's second frame as every member of the starting lineup notched either a hit or an RBI in the stanza.
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Redshirt senior third baseman Jake Armsey headed the Spartans' effort at the plate, driving home a career-high five runs—the most single-game RBI by a Spartan since Vance Sheahan's seven against UNC Asheville on May 17, 2025—as part of a 3-for-5 day that included his 10th career home run, a three-run shot in the 13-run second inning. Two other Spartans, junior first baseman Clayton Campidilli and senior catcher Preston Lucas, both homered, giving Upstate its first multi-homer game of the year.
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Lacing a career-high four hits, redshirt sophomore centerfielder Henry Zenor collected his second straight game with three or more hits atop the Spartan order. Redshirt freshman leftfielder Trey Bentley joined Armsey, Campadilli, and Zenor with a multi-hit day, collecting two hits.
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Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 17; Western Carolina 0
Records: USC Upstate (2-2; 0-0 Big South); Western Carolina (3-1; 0-0 SoCon)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.
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How It Happened
- B2: Wrestling the game's momentum away, Upstate's bats broke out in the second inning, pounding out 13 runs behind nine hits, four walks, and two errors. Jake Armsey proved to be the catalyst in the frame, recording four of his five RBI with an RBI single and a three-run homer.
- B3: Adding his fifth RBI of the day, Armsey drove home Maloy Heaghney with a double off the wall in center.
- B7: Pinch-hitting for the Spartans, Preston Lucas launched a solo shot to right.
- B8: Capping the day's scoring, Clayton Campidilli unloaded on a 0-1 pitch, clearing the batters' eye in center with a two-run blast.
Notable
- Breaking out with 13 runs in the second inning, the frame marked the highest-scoring inning for the Spartans since scoring 13 runs in the fifth inning against Rider on March 10, 2024. Against the Catamounts, Upstate sent 17 hitters to the plate compared to the 19 who batted for the Spartans against the Broncs.
- Earning the 17-0 shutout victory, Upstate secured its first shutout win since blanking Winthrop on May 22, 2025, at the Big South Baseball Championship and its first shutout win at Cleveland S. Harley Park since blanking Charleston Southern on April 20, 2024.
- The Spartans' shutout win also stands as their largest shutout victory since blanking UNC Asheville 16-0 on May 15, 2025.
- Appearing out of the bullpen and earning the save with 3.0 scoreless innings, Jacob Kirby became the 14th different Spartan to make his USC Upstate debut this season.
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
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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!
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kaplan, Max (1-0)
L: Shane Huntsberger (0-1)
S: Kirby, Jacob (1)
Batting:
2B: Noah Quarless 1
Base Running:
CS: Mason Holton 1
HBP: Yates Sikes 1
PO: Mason Holton 1
Batting:
2B: Campidilli, Clayton 1 ; Armsey, Jake 1
HR: Lucas, Preston 1 ; Campidilli, Clayton 1 ; Armsey, Jake 1
RBI: Coleman, Micah 1 ; Sweeney, Johnny 1 ; Lucas, Preston 1 ; Lang, Tyler 1 ; Heaghney, Maloy 1 ; Bentley, Trey 1 ; Campidilli, Clayton 3 ; Armsey, Jake 5 ; Griggs, Gage 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Zenor, Henry 2 ; Coleman, Micah 1 ; Sweeney, Johnny 1 ; Lucas, Preston 1 ; Lang, Tyler 1 ; Heaghney, Maloy 1 ; Bentley, Trey 2 ; Small, Brady 1 ; Campidilli, Clayton 3 ; Armsey, Jake 2 ; Griggs, Gage 2
Game Leaders
AB
6
R
2
H
4
RBI
0
3b/ss
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
5
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
lf/rf
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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