Feb. 23, 2008

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Sophomore Matt Branham (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) pitched seven innings, allowing one run and five hits to shut down the UT Martin offense during the second day of the Courtyard by Marriott Classic, as the USC Upstate baseball team won, 7-5, on Saturday afternoon at Harley Park.

Branham (1-0), who allowed just a fifth inning run, allowed the USC Upstate offense to find its stride, as it scored three runs each in the fifth and seventh innings to take a 7-1 lead before he left the mound. Branham allowed five hits and three walks while striking out just one.

After the Skyhawks (1-0) tied the game in the fifth inning, USC Upstate answered back with a three-run frame in the bottom of the inning. Senior Casey Rivers (Hudson, Mass./Hudson) hit a leadoff single to short right-center and a sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position. That set up freshman Keith Bisgounis (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo), who turned on a pitch an delivered a double down the left-field line to score Rivers. After a groundout, senior Andrew Runion (Simpsonville, S.C./Mauldin) delivered a two-out RBI with a frozen rope double to left center. He scored after a single to center field by junior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist).

In the seventh inning, the Spartans took a six-run lead thanks to three more tallies. Junior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) posted a leadoff single and junior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) laid down a sac bunt and reached after a throwing error. A single from Morgan loaded the bases and a groundout scored a run. After an intentional walk, a throwing error on a fielder's choice scored both Simpson and Morgan to make it, 7-1.

The Skyhawks mounted a rally in the top of the eighth, scoring four runs in the inning, joining two walks, a hit batter and three hits together to make it 7-5. Sophomore Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) pitched out of the jam thanks in large part to getting a comebacker that he turned into a 1-2-3 double play with the bases loaded and no outs in the frame.

Junior Justin Hayes (Mauldin, S.C./Mauldin) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save of the season, as he struck out one and retired the side in order.

Upstate got on the board in the first inning, as Guillen hit a one-out single through the right side. After a groundout advanced Guillen to second base, Morgan drove him in with a single up the middle. UT Martin tied the game in the fifth, with Jay Howard singling and Shay Martin following with a triple to right center. However, Branham pitched out of the one-out jam by getting a fly out to second base and a fly ball to right field.

Guillen finished 2-for-5 with two runs and Morgan went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs. Rivers also went 2-for-3 with a run as Upstate posted 10 hits in the game.

Eric Walker (0-1) took the loss for UT Martin, allowing seven hits, four runs and a walk in 4 2/3 innings. Calen Sutton pitched well in relief, allowing three unearned runs in 3 1/3 innings of relief. He walked two and struck out three.

No Skyhawk posted more than one of their eight hits, but Blake Turner drove in two runs with an eighth inning single.

In other action, George Washington opened its season with a 12-5 win over New Jersey Tech in the first game of the day and George Washington came back to beat UT Martin 10-6 in the final of the three games at Harley Park on Saturday night.

The Courtyard by Marriott Baseball Classic wraps up on Sunday with UT Martin facing New Jersey Tech at 10 a.m. and USC Upstate looking to take the classic crown with a win over George Washington at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at Harley Park.