Tuesday, May 5
Greenville, S.C.
6:00 p.m.
University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
23-26
18
vs
4
Elon
19-28
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| USC Upstate | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 0 | X | 18 | 15 | 2 |
Photo by: Emma Hudson
Jake Armsey's Grand Slam and Career-High Seven RBI Lead Baseball to Second Straight Run-Rule Win, Downing Elon 18-4 in Seven Innings at Fluor Field
5/5/2026 11:41:00 PM | Baseball
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Away from home, but completing its four-game homestand at Fluor Field at the West End, the home of the Greenville Drive, USC Upstate baseball didn't let the trappings of its surroundings dampen its momentum, putting forth another offensive outburst in an 18-4 run-rule victory over Elon Tuesday evening. The win secured the first time since the introduction of the run-rule to college baseball that the Spartans have won consecutive run-rule games.
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For the first time since Feb. 21-25, 2024, Upstate scored double-digit runs in four straight games. Tuesday, the Spartans scored 18 runs against the Phoenix behind 15 hits, seven of which went for extra bases.
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Reaching base all five times he stepped to the plate, redshirt senior third baseman Jake Armsey fashioned a career evening, going 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a home run, and a career-best seven RBI. He doubled home a pair of go-ahead runs for the Spartans in the first before collecting five of his seven RBI in an 11-run fourth inning with a double and grand slam.
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Fifth-year senior first baseman Johnny Sweeney homered for the fourth straight game, tying the longest stretch of consecutive games with a long ball in his career. Adding the Spartans' other extra base hits on the night, senior catcher Preston Lucas and redshirt sophomore designated hitter Tyler Lang registered two doubles and one double, respectively.
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On the mound, six Spartan pitchers combined to hold Elon in check. Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Max Bianchini, sophomore righty Cayden Mackey, and senior right-hander Juan Reyes tossed scoreless frames with Mackey's and Reyes' frames hitless.
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Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 18; Elon 4 (7 inn.)
Records: USC Upstate (23-26; 11-10 Big South); Elon (19-28; 10-17 CAA)
Location: Fluor Field at the West End | Greenville, S.C.
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How It Happened
Notable
Up Next for the Spartans
For the final time in the regular season, Upstate faces a three-game Big South series, meeting Presbyterian. The three-game set begins Friday with a 6 p.m. ET start in Clinton, S.C.
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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For the first time since Feb. 21-25, 2024, Upstate scored double-digit runs in four straight games. Tuesday, the Spartans scored 18 runs against the Phoenix behind 15 hits, seven of which went for extra bases.
Â
Reaching base all five times he stepped to the plate, redshirt senior third baseman Jake Armsey fashioned a career evening, going 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a home run, and a career-best seven RBI. He doubled home a pair of go-ahead runs for the Spartans in the first before collecting five of his seven RBI in an 11-run fourth inning with a double and grand slam.
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Fifth-year senior first baseman Johnny Sweeney homered for the fourth straight game, tying the longest stretch of consecutive games with a long ball in his career. Adding the Spartans' other extra base hits on the night, senior catcher Preston Lucas and redshirt sophomore designated hitter Tyler Lang registered two doubles and one double, respectively.
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On the mound, six Spartan pitchers combined to hold Elon in check. Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Max Bianchini, sophomore righty Cayden Mackey, and senior right-hander Juan Reyes tossed scoreless frames with Mackey's and Reyes' frames hitless.
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Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 18; Elon 4 (7 inn.)
Records: USC Upstate (23-26; 11-10 Big South); Elon (19-28; 10-17 CAA)
Location: Fluor Field at the West End | Greenville, S.C.
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How It Happened
- T1: Striking first, Elon pushed across a run behind a Jared Hall single into right-center.
- B1: Answering the Phoenix tally, Upstate scored thrice in the opening frame. A wild pitch tied the game before Jake Armsey ripped a double inside the third base bag, driving home a pair of go-ahead tallies.
- B2: Adding to the Spartans' lead, Tyler Lang plated a pair with a single to rightfield.
- B3: Notching a third straight inning with multiple tallies on the scoreboard, Wylie Waters knocked in two runs with a single to left-center.
- T4: Taking advantage of a pair of Upstate errors, Elon scored twice on the miscues.
- B4: For the second time this season, the Spartans fashioned a double-digit scoring inning, hanging 11 runs on the scoreboard in the fourth. Armsey provided the spark for the big inning, collecting five RBI in the inning with an RBI double and a grand slam. Johnny Sweeney also swatted a long ball in the frame, a two-run shot.
- T6: An RBI groundout from Simon Hoffman provided the final run of the game and the final tally for the Phoenix.
Notable
- Winning via the run rule, the Spartans have won consecutive run-rule games for the first time since the rules' adoption ahead of the 2023 season. This instance also marks the first time Upstate has played consecutive run-rule games.
- Homering for the fourth straight contest, Johnny Sweeney tied his career-long stretch of consecutive games with a home run. He homered in four straight games from March 22-28, 2025, against Charleston Southern, Charleston Southern, NC State, and ETSU.
- Hit by a pitch in the first inning, Sweeney drew his 21st HBP of the season. He's first player in program history with multiple seasons with 20 or more HBP, drawing at least 21 HBP in each of the past two seasons. He's chasing Scott Campbell's 2025 total (23) for the program's single-season record.
Up Next for the Spartans
For the final time in the regular season, Upstate faces a three-game Big South series, meeting Presbyterian. The three-game set begins Friday with a 6 p.m. ET start in Clinton, S.C.
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!
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kummer, Andrew (2-1)
L: RJ Latkowski (2-2)
Batting:
RBI: Brian DuRoff 1 ; Simon Hoffman 1 ; Jared Hall 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gar Hindle 1 ; Brent Smith 1 ; Nate Sterling 1 ; Connor Roche 1
SB: Gar Hindle 1 ; Jared Hall 1 ; Vince Fattore 1
HBP: Jackson Alford 1 ; Jared Hall 1
Batting:
2B: Lang, Tyler 1 ; Armsey, Jake 2 ; Lucas, Preston 2
HR: Sweeney, Johnny 1 ; Armsey, Jake 1
RBI: Zenor, Henry 1 ; Heaghney, Maloy 2 ; Lang, Tyler 2 ; Sweeney, Johnny 2 ; Armsey, Jake 7 ; Waters, Wylie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Zenor, Henry 2 ; Heaghney, Maloy 2 ; Lang, Tyler 3 ; Sweeney, Johnny 2 ; Bentley, Trey 3 ; Armsey, Jake 3 ; Lucas, Preston 1 ; Waters, Wylie 1 ; Ritzer, Alex 1
SB: Heaghney, Maloy 1
HBP: Zenor, Henry 1 ; Lang, Tyler 1 ; Sweeney, Johnny 1
Game Leaders
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