Three Spartan Homers Back Strong Relief Outing from Jacob Kirby, Leading Baseball to 8-5 Win Over Northern Illinois in OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic Operner

Friday, February 20

Spartanburg, S.C.

3:00 p.m.

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics

3-3

Northern Illinois

2-3

Northern Illinois

USC Upstate

Photo by: Catherine Harney

2/20/2026 8:41:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Home to host the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic for the fifth straight season, USC Upstate baseball began its first full weekend of action at Cleveland S. Harley Park with an 8-5 victory over Northern Illinois Friday evening. The win extended the Spartans' winning streak at Harley Park to seven, dating back to last season, the longest for the club since winning nine straight at home from March 3 to March 17, 2024.

After earning the save with 3.0 scoreless innings of work versus Western Carolina Tuesday in his first career collegiate appearance, redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Jacob Kirby continued the strong start to his collegiate career, earning the win for the Spartans Friday evening. He turned in another 4.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, scattering four hits and six baserunners against the Huskies while striking out three.

In the preceding half inning to Kirby's entrance from the pen, Upstate posted its second five-plus run frame of the season, tallying five runs in the home half of the fourth to take the lead for the first and final time.

Following a solo homer from redshirt senior third baseman Jake Armsey in the third inning—Armsey's second of the season, Upstate slugged a pair of home runs in its five-run fifth frame. Senior leftfielder Wylie Waters started the stanza's scoring with a two-run shot before three batters later, redshirt sophomore centerfielder Henry Zenor launched a three-run shot.

Leading the Spartans at the plate, senior second baseman Gage Griggs notched his second straight multi-hit effort, tying his career high with three hits, part of a 3-for-4 day at the plate. Armsey and Waters each tallied a pair of hits, finishing the night 2-for-4 and 2-for-3, respectively.

Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 8; Northern Illinois 5
Records: USC Upstate (3-3; 0-0 Big South); Northern Illinois (2-3; 0-0 MAC)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.

How It Happened

T2: Beginning the day's scoring, Northern Illinois put itself on the scoreboard with solo homers from Ivan Dahlberg and Caden Robertson.
T3: Adding two more tallies via the long ball, Cole Smith produced two more Huskie runs with his two-run shot.
B3: Getting a run back for the Spartans, Jake Armsey launched his second long ball of the season, exiting the yard to right.
B4: Delivering Upstate's first advantage of the night, the Spartans hung five runs on the board in the fourth behind a two-run homer from Wylie Waters and a three-run shot from Henry Zenor.
B6: Adding a pair of insurance runs for the Spartans, Maloy Heaghney and Johnny Sweeney drove home a run each in the frame, using a single and a sac fly to left, respectively.
T9: Drawing a walk with the bases loaded, Northern Illinois' Austin Weigand pushed across the game's final run.

Notable

Earning the win in his second career outing, Jacob Kirby becomes the first Spartan since Mathieu Curtis and Henry Proger in 2023 to earn a positive decision—either a win or save—in his first two outings as a Spartan. Kirby joins Curtis in accomplishing the feat in the first two appearances of his collegiate career.
Earning the win in the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic opener, Upstate improves to 10-3 all-time in the event. The 2026 iteration marks the third time the Spartans have won the opener, doing so in 2022, 2024, and 2026.
Recording hits Friday, Maloy Heaghney and Henry Zenor improved their hitting and reached base streaks to six games, the longest active streaks among Spartans.

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