March 29, 2008

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Battling a team that entered the day in a tie for second place in the Atlantic Sun Conference, the upstart USC Upstate baseball team used a dazzling pitching performance from sophomore Matt Branham (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) for a 4-0 win in game one and a walk-off hit from junior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) for a 5-4 win in game two to sweep visiting Jacksonville on Saturday at Harley Park.

Upstate (14-14 overall, 9-6 A-Sun) rallied in the ninth inning to score a run after Jacksonville tied the game at four in the top of the inning in the second game. Freshman Keith Bisgounis (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) came around to score from second base on a base hit to short left field by Simpson. The throw to the plate was on a line, but Bisgounis was able to slide into the catcher and knock the ball away for Upstate's third walk-off win of the season.

Jacksonville (15-10 overall, 8-7 A-Sun) scored the first run in the top of the first inning in the second game, but Upstate tied the game in the bottom of the inning, as freshman A.J. Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Springs Christian) singled under the second baseman's glove and senior Andrew Runion (Simpsonville, S.C./Mauldin) hit a ball into the right field corner for a triple.

The Dolphins took a 3-1 lead in the third inning thanks to three hits and a two-RBI single from Jeremy Gillan. Meanwhile, Jacksonville starter Tim Brown was in control, allowing just one runner to reach from the second to the fourth innings. However, in the fifth, Upstate closed the gap to 3-2, as Bisgounis singled to center field to lead off, setting up freshman Reed Lishen (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach), who delivered his first collegiate hit through the left side. Junior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) laid down a bunt and was able to reach after a fielding error to load the bases for Simpson, who lifted a sac fly to center.

Upstate took the lead in the sixth as Runion led off with a single up the middle and senior Casey Rivers (Hudson, Mass./Hudson) followed with a triple to the right field corner just past a diving first baseman. Sophomore Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Stars Mil) followed with a double down the left field line that went just past a diving third baseman.

The Dolphins threatened in the seventh inning, as the leadoff batter walked, but after a failed sacrifice bunt led to a strikeout, the runner was caught stealing. The next batter was walked, but Upstate senior pitcher Scott Eckard (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary) caught the runner looking to steal and picked him off.

In the eighth, the Spartans once again worked around trouble. After a leadoff single, sophomore Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) took the mound and got a sac bunt, a strikeout and a groundout to get out of the jam. Jacksonville finally broke through in the ninth. After Simpson made a nice running catch by the fence in left field in foul territory, Oliver struck a batter out. However, the Dolphins then mounted their rally, with Matt Dobbins drawing a walk on a full count. Glenn Witkowski pinch ran and when Thomas Myers lifted a pinch-hit single that blooped in front of a diving Bisgounis in right, Witkowski never stopped running on the way to the plate.

Upstate answered in the bottom of the frame, with Bisgounis reaching on an error to lead off. Lishen moved Bisgounis to second on a sac bunt. After a strikeout, Simpson delivered the looper to left to score the winning run.

Tanner went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Runion went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for Upstate, who posted 10 hits in the game. Simpson drove in two runs and Bisgounis scored twice. Kevin Ferreira had two hits and two runs and Kyle Fleming also added two runs for the Dolphins.

Eckard pitched well for his third quality start of the season in the no-decision, tossing seven innings, allowing nine hits and two earned runs. He walked three and struck out five. He also became the school's all-time leader in innings pitched, as he passed Trevor Berryhill (2002-05), who threw 278.1 innings in his career, and has now thrown 279.0 innings in an Upstate uniform.

Oliver (1-1) picked up his first win of the year by throwing two innings of relief, allowing a hit, a walk and a run. He struck out three.

Branham was dominant for the Spartans in the first game of the doubleheader, scattering eight hits in eight innings of work, allowing no runs and striking out six to improve to 3-2 on the season, and leading Upstate to a 4-0 win. The 6-5 right-hander threw 123 pitches in the game, but never labored during the start, as no Jacksonville hitter got past second base and only in the seventh inning did he allow two base runners to reach. Meanwhile, his confidence flourished as the game went on, as he struck out two of the last three he faced.

The Spartan offense clicked for its first run in the fourth inning against 2006 All-American Matt Dobbins, as Rivers hit a leadoff double to right field. Moved Rivers over on a sac bunt and Bisgounis drove Rivers in with a sacrifice fly.

The Spartans chased Dobbins from the hill in the sixth inning with three more runs. Tanner led off with a single to second. A failed pickoff by the catcher moved him to second base where Bisgounis sacrificed Tanner to third. Freshman Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) walked and senior Andrew Maddox (Boiling Springs, S.C./Boiling Springs) laid down a safety squeeze that brought home Tanner. With two outs, junior Tommy Shovlin (Merritt Island, Fla./Daytona Beach C.C.) hit a double down the left field line to score Green. Guillen followed with a single to center to score Shovlin.

That was all Upstate would need, as Branham kept the Dolphins down before handing it over to junior Justin Hayes (Mauldin, S.C./Mauldin), who pitched a scoreless ninth and struck out two to secure the win.

Rivers and Tanner led Upstate with two hits and a run a piece. Guillen also added two hits and an RBI. Ferreira was the lone Dolphin to collect two hits.

Dobbins (3-2) took the loss, allowing eight hits, three walks and four runs in six innings. He struck out three.

Upstate will look to rise above the .500 mark for the first time since the seventh game of the season when it hosts North Carolina A&T on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Harley Park.