Baseball Captures Series Victory, Capitalizing on Stymieing Pitching and Timely Hitting Saturday Against UNC Asheville

Saturday, March 28

Spartanburg, S.C.

2:00 p.m.

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics

14-14, 5-3

UNC Asheville

13-14, 1-4

UNC Asheville

USC Upstate

Photo by: Emma Hudson

3/28/2026 9:11:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – A day after seeing the club erase a seven-run deficit and score the winning run in the ninth inning, USC Upstate baseball wasted little time in gaining the lead Saturday afternoon, striking early and often in a 14-1 series-clinching victory over UNC Asheville at Cleveland S. Harley Park.

Repeating their half of the first frame from Friday evening, the Spartans emphatically hung three runs on the board with another first-inning, three-run home run, this time from redshirt freshman catcher Tyler Lang, a deep blast to left. Answering the Bulldogs' lone tally in the second, Upstate capitalized on a Bulldog error to recapture its three-run advantage.

Not permitting another UNC Asheville tally, Upstate thrashed its way to 10 runs from the fifth inning onward, including a five-run seventh—the team's first five-plus run inning since March 7, 2026, at Texas. The catalyst for the frame, redshirt sophomore centerfielder Henry Zenor launched the Spartans' first grand slam of the season, part of a 3-for-3 day that saw him reach safely in all five plate appearances.

Following the lead of starting pitcher, junior right-hander Brent Stukes, who allowed one run over 5.0 innings of work—earning his fourth win of the year—three Upstate relievers combined to work 4.0 scoreless innings to close out the ballgame. Redshirt junior righty Max Bianchini made his first relief appearance of the campaign, working 2.0 scoreless frames before handing the ball to freshman right-handers Ben Chuttey and Jack Morris, who each fired a scoreless inning for the Spartans.

Backing the pitching, Lang and Zenor each notched a career-high four RBI apiece. Lang collected his total behind a three-run homer and a bases-loaded walk while Zenor cranked a grand slam.

Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 14; UNC Asheville 1
Records: USC Upstate (14-14; 5-3 Big South); UNC Asheville (13-14; 1-4 Big South)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.

How It Happened

B1: For the second straight day, Upstate hung its first runs behind a three-run, first-inning home run. Saturday, the long ball came off the bat of Tyler Lang, a deep drive to left.
T2: Scratching its lone run of the contest, UNC Asheville used consecutive doubles from Ben Green and Tyler Parks to score.
B2: Taking advantage of a two-out throwing error by the Bulldogs, the Spartans got back their run with a tally in the second.
B5: Expanding its advantage, Upstate added three more tallies in the fifth using a passed ball, an RBI single from Jake Armsey, and an RBI fielder's choice from Preston Lucas.
B6: Loading the bases with a hit and two walks, Lang pushed across the game's eighth run as he drew a walk with ducks on the pond.
B7: Securing its highest-scoring inning of the night, Upstate pushed across five in the frame, thanks in large part to Henry Zenor's grand slam.
B8: Capitalizing on another UNC Asheville error, the Spartans scored the day's final tally as Wylie Waters came home on an errant throw from the Bulldog third baseman.

Notable

Launching a seventh-inning grand slam, Henry Zenor hit Upstate's first grand slam of the 2026 season. It marked the Spartans' first grand slam since Vance Sheahan hit one against the same Bulldogs on May 17, 2025.
Inducing an inning-ending double play in the first and again in the fifth, Upstate turned a double play for the fifth straight game, the longest streak for the Spartans this season. Upstate's first twin killing, coming on a snared line drive, marked the fourth turned this year on a line drive.

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