Baseball Displays Its Grit, Nearly Completing Comeback Against No. 15 Alabama in Winner's Bracket Showdown of Tuscaloosa Regional

Saturday, May 30

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

7:00 p.m.

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics

34-29

Alabama

39-19

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Alabama	0	0	4	1	1	1	0	0	0	7	11	6
USC Upstate	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	1	5	10	0

Johnny Sweeney 3rd AB vs. Oklahoma State NCAA 2026 - EH

Photo by: Emma Hudson

5/31/2026 1:43:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – While the scene may be unfamiliar, as the program has entered new territory, in the winner's bracket of an NCAA Regional, USC Upstate baseball didn't waver as it battled No. 15 and Tuscaloosa Regional host Alabama with a shot to advance to the regional final. Sticking true to what got them there, the Spartans fought until the bitter end, nearly completing the comeback in Saturday's 7-5 decision.

Although the Crimson Tide struck first with a four-spot in the third inning, Upstate kept chipping away at the deficit. The Spartans answered the runs with one of its own in the third before going run-for-run with Alabama in the fourth.

While the Crimson Tide added tallies in the fifth and sixth innings, the Spartans closed the gap in a big way in the seventh inning as fifth-year senior designated hitter Johnny Sweeney crushed a two-run home run into the berm seating in rightfield, his team-leading 13^th long ball of the year.

Steadying the Spartans, setting up Sweeney to lessen the disadvantage, sophomore right-handed pitcher Brad Benton came on in the top half of the seventh inning and turned in 3.0 scoreless frames of relief. He finished the night scattering three hits and four baserunners while inducing a crucial inning-ending double play to quell a Crimson Tide threat in the eighth. Benton struck out one, saving the punchout for the final hitter he faced in the ninth.

Setting up its comeback bid, Upstate capitalized on the sixth error of the night by Alabama to extend the game, putting runners on the corners with two outs. Immediately making the Crimson Tide pay, redshirt freshman Trey Bentley laced a double over the head of the third baseman and down the leftfield line, scoring the runner from third. Stepping to the plate as the go-ahead run, redshirt senior Jake Armsey gave an 0-1 pitch a ride to center, falling mere feet of a walk-off home run.

Game Information
Score: No. 15 Alabama 7; USC Upstate 5
Records: USC Upstate (34-29; 13-11 Big South); Alabama (39-19; 18-12 SEC)
Location: Sewell-Thomas Stadium | Tuscaloosa, Ala.

How It Happened

T3: Breaking the deadlock, Alabama struck for four runs in the third. An RBI double from the Crimson Tide's Jason Torres down the leftfield line began the scoring before a three-run opposite field shot from Eric Hines capped the inning.
B3: Answering the Crimson Tide's run and taking advantage of a pair of Alabama errors in the inning, Upstate pushed across a single tally in the home half. Lifting a 0-0 pitch into center, Tyler Lang's sac fly sent Henry Zenor tagging and scoring from third.
T4: Responding to Upstate's run in the prior half inning, the Crimson Tide added another to the scoreboard in the fourth. Alabama's Justin Lebron followed a Bryce Fowler triple with a hard-hit single through the left side, scoring the run.
B4: Continuing the run-for-run scoring of previous half innings, the Spartans added another on a sac fly to deep left from Preston Lucas.
T5: Seeing the game's trend of runs answering runs, Alabama pushed across a run as Peyton Steele drew a walk with the bases loaded.
T6: Adding a run to the board for the Crimson Tide, Lebron slugged a solo homer off the scoreboard in left-center.
B7: Providing a big shot in the arm for the Spartan offense, Johnny Sweeney clubbed a two-run blast halfway up the student-seating berm in right, his 13^th long ball of the season.
B9: Stepping to the plate as the tying run, Trey Bentley roped an RBI double down the leftfield line, pulling the Spartans within two.

Notable

Drawing a walk in the fifth inning, Johnny Sweeney became the fourth Spartan this season with 40 or more walks drawn, extending the program-record total for players with 40-plus walks in a single season. Adding to his 30 HBP this season, he is the first player to reach 70-plus free bases in a single season in program history.

Up Next For the Spartans
Returning to action, USC Upstate faces a rematch with Oklahoma State in an elimination game Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. The winner of the Spartans-Cowboys matchup faces No. 15 Alabama in the regional final game Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, with an if-necessary game set for Monday.

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