USC
Upstate Tops SPARTANBURG,
S.C. (February 17, 2006) –
The University of South Carolina Upstate used three unearned runs over
the sixth and seventh innings to fuel an 8-4 victory over Franklin
Pierce, ranked No. 20 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball
magazine Division II Coaches’ poll, in non-conference baseball
action at Harley Park this evening. Senior right-hander Brandon Williams (Tega Cay, S.C.) threw eight strong innings for USC Upstate to run his record to 2-0 for the season. Williams, who entered the game with a 0.69 earned run average, yielded three earned runs on four hits and three walks with ten strikeouts, including six-straight in one stretch early in the contest. Junior Bradley Blanks (Fort Mill, S.C.) was credited with his second save of the season, striking out the only batter he faced with two runners on in
Senior Brad
Wingo (Greenville, S.C.)
led the Spartans offense as he hit 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a
double, RBI and stolen base. Sophomore Michael
Kohn (Camden, S.C.)
was 3-4 with an RBI, while sophomore Kyle
Bowley (Apopka, Fla.)
finished 2-5 with a double and two RBI. Junior Bret
Hansen (Charlotte, N.C.)
was 2-3 with a pair of walks, an RBI and run scored.
Junior All-American Garrett
Olson (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills)
provided the majority of offense for Franklin Pierce, hitting a
perfect 3-for-3 with a homer, stolen base, two RBI and run scored and
was also hit by his school-record 26th pitch in 102 career
contests. Senior All-American Bryan
Duplissie (East Swanzey, N.H./Monadnock)
and classmate Elliott
Shea (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant)
each finished 1-4 with Duplissie notching a double and Shea a homer.
Duplissie suffered the loss (just his second in eight decisions
over two years at the College), as he was touched for three earned
runs on five hits with a walk and strikeout over 2.2 innings of work.
Franklin Pierce, playing its earliest season-opener in program
history, was eager to get the season started as Olson, Baseball
America’s preseason Division II Player of the Year, and Shea
belted the first two pitches of the game over the centerfield wall to
give the Ravens a quick lead.
USC Upstate answered right away with a pair in the home half
off Duplissie. After a leadoff walk to John
Caddell (Apex, N.C.),
Wingo ripped a double to put two runners in scoring position with none
out. Hanson followed with an infield single to score Caddell, while
Wingo scored on a groundout.
The Spartans forged ahead in the third when Bowley followed a
Hansen single with an RBI double. A throwing error led to an unearned
run in the sixth as Kohn registered an RBI single. USCU tacked on two
more in the seventh thanks to a pair of Franklin Pierce errors.
Caddell scored on one error and Andrew
Runion (Simpsonville, S.C.)
followed with an RBI single.
The Ravens attempted to come back in the eighth, putting the
first two runners on for Olson. He ripped a single to score one run,
but the Spartans got a foul out and strikeout to escape the frame
without further damage. USCU got the run back and more with a pair of
runs in the home half to seal the win. Franklin Pierce (0-1, 0-0 NE-10) and USC Upstate (5-2, 0-0 Peach Belt) are scheduled to continue their four-game weekend series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The series concludes with a single game Sunday at 11 a.m. |
