Upstate Softball heads to the Peach State for a Wednesday night showdown with SEC Opponent, #14 Georgia

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Heading into a new week, USC Upstate Softball prepares for their first midweek matchup since March 24, 2026, as the Spartans travel to Athens, Georgia to face #14 University of Georgia in a Wednesday night non-conference showdown live on SEC Network Plus.

Overview

The two programs meet for the first time since April 9, 2025 where the Spartans took the Bulldogs to nine innings with multiple double plays that extended the game, but Georgia got the upper hand with a walk-off double down the right field line to end the game with a 3-2 final. USC Upstate (24-15; 7-2 Big South) comes off a weekend series victory against Gardner-Webb, sweeping Friday with a 6-1 victory in Game One and a successful comeback in game two to walk it off, 9-8. The Runnin' Bulldogs stole game three at Cyrill Stadium, holding the Spartans to just one run. Georgia comes off a weekend in College Station, Texas where they faced off against Texas A&M, dropping the series 2-1 as the Aggies took game one and the Bulldogs split taking game two with a 10-6 victory. Texas A&M edged past Georgia with a 2-1 victory to take the series, moving Georgia to 28-10 (7-5 SEC).

Wednesday's Matchup

Apr. 8, 2026| 6:00 P.M. EST
USC Upstate Spartans (24-15; 7-2 Big South) vs. #14 Georgia Bulldogs (28-10; 7-5 SEC)

Location: Jack Turner Stadium| Athens, Ga.

TV: SECN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App

How they Stack Up

All-time Series: Georgia leads 9-2

Last Five Meetings: Apr. 9, 2025 (UGA 3; UPST 2); Apr. 17, 2024 (UGA 8; UPST 0); Apr. 19, 2023 (UGA 6; UPST 0); Apr. 20, 2022 (UGA 5; UPST 3) Apr. 14, 2021 (UGA 4; UPST 1)

Players to Watch

USC Upstate: Senior Outfielder, Taliyah Thomas continues her senior season being ranked #2 in the Big South batting .424 on the season and leading Upstate with a .600 slugging percentage, 75 total bases, 53 hits, 22 stolen bases, and tied first with five home runs on the year. In the last matchup at UGA, Thomas led going 2-for-3 with one run scored in a nine-inning effort where the Spartans were an inch away from stealing a game on the road. Taliyah Thomas' impact on the game is displayed in many ways whether it is her ability to get on base or anchor the outfield. As Taliyah Thomas heads to Athens, Georgia for a top 25 matchup, she will be a player to watch who can flip the momentum of a game at any time.

Georgia: Senior Catcher, Sarah Gordon leads the Bulldogs batting .437 on the year while adding 45 hits, 36 runs scored, 11 doubles, one triple, and adds eight home runs. Gordon leads Georgia with 14 multi-hit games (11 with two, three with three) while adding seven multi-RBI games. Gordon added one run scored in previous versus Upstate but was held without a hit through two at bats. Sarah Gordon will be a player to keep an eye on in the midweek battle as the Bulldogs look to battle with the Spartans.

Up next for the Spartans

Following a top 25 showdown in Georgia, Upstate Softball travels to Rock Hill, South Carolina for a 2024 & 2025 Big South Softball Championship Rematch against Winthrop which will have heavy indicators of who will be atop of the Big South. Both teams currently sit at 7-2 tied for first place, and their three-game series will lead off on Friday, April 10 at 4:00 P.M. and conclude with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at 2:00 & 4:00 P.M. Eastern time with each game live on ESPN+.

USC UPSTATE TO HOST 2026 BIG SOUTH SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Buy your tickets now for 2026 Big South Softball Championship to be held at Hawkins Field at Cyrill Stadium. The event will be held May 6-9 and for more information and tickets, click here. (A clear bag policy will be enforced for this event.)

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, 2026 at The Piedmont Club. For tickets, sponsorship and auction information, click here!

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Players Mentioned

Taliyah Thomas

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