Friday, April 17
Rock Hill, S.C.
6:00 p.m.
University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
at
Winthrop
Photo by: Catherine Harney
Facing Another Foe From Last Season's Big South Tournament Run, Baseball Heads to Winthrop for Three-Game Set
4/16/2026 4:58:00 PM | Baseball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Returning to Big South Conference play as its eight-game road swing continues, USC Upstate baseball remains in the Palmetto State, taking the trip to Winthrop for a three-game weekend series. The Spartans enter the weekend with a 14-7 advantage in the series with the Eagles, winning each of the past nine meetings with Winthrop, including all four last season.
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Weekend Series
April 17-19, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. / 6:00 p.m. / 2:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (19-19; 8-7 Big South) vs. Winthrop (24-13; 7-2 Big South)
Founders Field | Rock Hill, S.C.
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TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
Radio: Fox Sports Spartanburg 98.3 FM/1400 AM | Also available via the Fox Sports Spartanburg or TuneIn App
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How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (19-19; 8-7 Big South); Winthrop (24-13; 7-2 Big South)
Series: USC Upstate leads 14-7
Last Five Meetings: May 22, 2025 (UPST 7; WIN 0); April 13, 2025 (UPST 17; WIN 1 [7 inn.]); April 12, 2025 (UPST 15; WIN 4); April 11, 2025 (UPST 14; WIN 3); April 7, 2024 (UPST 4; WIN 0)
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Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | Winthrop
Game One: LHP Chris Torres (4-2; 6.35 ERA) | RHP Brayden Gilley (5-3; 4.82 ERA)
Game Two: LHP Max Kaplan (3-3; 6.00 ERA) | LHP Luke Earnhardt (2-2; 4.25 ERA)
Game Three: RHP Brent Stukes (4-2; 6.25 ERA) | RHP Randy Guzman (0-3; 6.82 ERA)
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Players to Watch
USC Upstate
Pitcher: Making his first start since March 27 last Friday against Charleston Southern, junior left-handed pitcher Chris Torres picked up his team-lead-tying fourth victory of the season. He turned in 5.2 innings of work, scattering three hits and one run as he faced the minimum through five innings behind a pair of pickoffs and a double play inducement. Torres enters his latest start sporting a 4-2 record and 6.35 ERA over 39.2 innings of work, striking out a team-high 39.
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Position Player: Picking up a hit Tuesday at College of Charleston, redshirt freshman centerfielder Trey Bentley extended his team-best reached base streak to 18 games and his hitting streak to seven games. The reigning Big South Freshman of the Week fashioned a .353/.421/.824 three-slash line last week, collecting six hits, two doubles, one home run, and three RBI. On the year, Bentley hits .303 with 12 extra-base hits, seven doubles, and five home runs.
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Winthrop
Pitcher: Leading the league in pitching appearances, junior right-handed pitcher Walker Brodt has made 18 appearances this season, tossing 20.0 innings for the Eagles. He's fashioned a 2-0 record, one save, and a 3.60 ERA on the year while striking out 13 hitters and permitting a .270 opponent's batting average. He enters the weekend with 12 scoreless appearances this season, his last coming on April 2 against Western Carolina.
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Position Player: One of three players in the conference with double-digit home runs, junior utility player Jaylen Hernandez's 11 homers tie him for the Big South lead entering the weekend. He carries a .274/.442/.624 slash line as he leads his team in extra-base hits (19) and total bases (73), and ranks second on his club in RBI with 33. Hernandez carries an eight-game reached base streak into the weekend.
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Up Next for the Spartans
Remaining in the Palmetto State for the fifth of its eight games in its latest road swing, USC Upstate takes a trip to Clemson Tuesday as the road swing continues. The first of two meetings between the Spartans and Tigers features a 7 p.m. ET first pitch.
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Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
TICKETS ON-SALE FOR SPARTY'S BALL – MAY 15th
Support USC Upstate student-athletes at Sparty's Ball, the largest fundraising event of the year for the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF), to be held Friday, May 15, 2025, at The Piedmont Club. For tickets, sponsorship, and auction information, click here!
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Weekend Series
April 17-19, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. / 6:00 p.m. / 2:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (19-19; 8-7 Big South) vs. Winthrop (24-13; 7-2 Big South)
Founders Field | Rock Hill, S.C.
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TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
Radio: Fox Sports Spartanburg 98.3 FM/1400 AM | Also available via the Fox Sports Spartanburg or TuneIn App
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How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (19-19; 8-7 Big South); Winthrop (24-13; 7-2 Big South)
Series: USC Upstate leads 14-7
Last Five Meetings: May 22, 2025 (UPST 7; WIN 0); April 13, 2025 (UPST 17; WIN 1 [7 inn.]); April 12, 2025 (UPST 15; WIN 4); April 11, 2025 (UPST 14; WIN 3); April 7, 2024 (UPST 4; WIN 0)
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Probable Starting Pitchers
USC Upstate | Winthrop
Game One: LHP Chris Torres (4-2; 6.35 ERA) | RHP Brayden Gilley (5-3; 4.82 ERA)
Game Two: LHP Max Kaplan (3-3; 6.00 ERA) | LHP Luke Earnhardt (2-2; 4.25 ERA)
Game Three: RHP Brent Stukes (4-2; 6.25 ERA) | RHP Randy Guzman (0-3; 6.82 ERA)
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Players to Watch
USC Upstate
Pitcher: Making his first start since March 27 last Friday against Charleston Southern, junior left-handed pitcher Chris Torres picked up his team-lead-tying fourth victory of the season. He turned in 5.2 innings of work, scattering three hits and one run as he faced the minimum through five innings behind a pair of pickoffs and a double play inducement. Torres enters his latest start sporting a 4-2 record and 6.35 ERA over 39.2 innings of work, striking out a team-high 39.
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Position Player: Picking up a hit Tuesday at College of Charleston, redshirt freshman centerfielder Trey Bentley extended his team-best reached base streak to 18 games and his hitting streak to seven games. The reigning Big South Freshman of the Week fashioned a .353/.421/.824 three-slash line last week, collecting six hits, two doubles, one home run, and three RBI. On the year, Bentley hits .303 with 12 extra-base hits, seven doubles, and five home runs.
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Winthrop
Pitcher: Leading the league in pitching appearances, junior right-handed pitcher Walker Brodt has made 18 appearances this season, tossing 20.0 innings for the Eagles. He's fashioned a 2-0 record, one save, and a 3.60 ERA on the year while striking out 13 hitters and permitting a .270 opponent's batting average. He enters the weekend with 12 scoreless appearances this season, his last coming on April 2 against Western Carolina.
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Position Player: One of three players in the conference with double-digit home runs, junior utility player Jaylen Hernandez's 11 homers tie him for the Big South lead entering the weekend. He carries a .274/.442/.624 slash line as he leads his team in extra-base hits (19) and total bases (73), and ranks second on his club in RBI with 33. Hernandez carries an eight-game reached base streak into the weekend.
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Up Next for the Spartans
Remaining in the Palmetto State for the fifth of its eight games in its latest road swing, USC Upstate takes a trip to Clemson Tuesday as the road swing continues. The first of two meetings between the Spartans and Tigers features a 7 p.m. ET first pitch.
Â
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
TICKETS ON-SALE FOR SPARTY'S BALL – MAY 15th
Support USC Upstate student-athletes at Sparty's Ball, the largest fundraising event of the year for the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF), to be held Friday, May 15, 2025, at The Piedmont Club. For tickets, sponsorship, and auction information, click here!
Players Mentioned
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