April 11, 2008

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Andrew Runion (Simpsonville, S.C./Mauldin) knocked a career-high five hits including two doubles to go with two runs and a RBI and head coach Matt Fincher won his 250th career game as the USC Upstate baseball team routed Kennesaw State, 14-5, in Atlantic Sun Conference action on Friday night at Harley Park.

Upstate (18-17 overall, 11-8 A-Sun) opened up a 13-1 lead after six innings as the Spartans knocked 16 hits and five doubles in the game. For Coach Fincher, it was his 250th career win in 11 years at Upstate, helping extend his school record for wins. He has won 20 games in each of the last six years and 30 games in each of the last three.

Runion went 5-for-6 during the game, surpassing his previous career-best of four hits, which he did three times. Not only is he the first player in school history to get five hits in a game, Runion also became the first Upstate player to reach 50 hits in the DI era during the game as well. He also moved into 10th in school history with 173 career hits, surpassing Chris Sturgill (1986-88), who compiled 171 hits in his career.

Freshman Keith Bisgounis (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) started the Spartans off in the first inning, hitting a one-out single off the pitcher's leg, spurring a four-run rally. Runion followed with a double to the left center gap with a hanging slider. A groundout scored Bisgounis and sophomore Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Stas Mill) followed with an opposite field single to score Runion. Freshman Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) followed with an infield single down the third base line and advanced to second on an error. That set up freshman A.J. Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Springs Christian), who lined a single over a leaping shortstop to score both Tanner and Green.

Upstate added three more in the fifth inning as senior Casey Rivers (Hudson, Mass./Worcester State) singled to the shortstop deep in the hole and Tanner followed with an opposite field single. A sac bunt moved each up a base. After a groundout couldn't get the run home, freshman Reed Lishen (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach) delivered an opposite field double to score both runs. Junior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) was hit by a pitch and junior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) hit a liner that tagged the pitcher on the foot and bounded into right field to score Lisahen.

Kennesaw State (17-17 overall, 9-7 A-Sun) cut into the Spartan lead in the top of the sixth, scoring a single run, using a double and a single to cross the plate.

However, Upstate answered back with six runs to take a 13-1 lead after six innings. The Spartans used five unearned runs in the inning to help them take the big lead. Runion led off with a single up the middle. After a sac bunt, Tanner knocked a double down the left field line to score Runion. Green reached on an error and Clark added a bunt single to load the bases for Lishen, who walked to earn a RBI. After a strikeout, Simpson delivered a double to the left center gap for two runs. Another fielding error by the Owls brought home Lishen and Simpson.

Kennesaw State scored two runs in the top of the seventh, using two hits and two walks for the runs, cutting the lead to 13-3. Two more runs followed in the eighth thanks to a two-run homer from Jace Whitmer, but Upstate scored one more in eighth as Simpson walked and after a flyout, Runion knocked a double that one-hopped the right field fence to bring him in and make it 14-5.

Tanner finished 3-for-5 with a double, three runs and two RBIs, Simpson went 2-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs, Clark went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBIs, and Lishen went 1-for-2 with a double, two runs and three RBIs for Upstate.

The Owls managed just eight hits in the game, with Whitmer, Curtis Van Wyck and Tyler Stubblefield each providing two. Stubblefield and Whitmer each also added two RBIs.

Senior Kyle Bowley (Apopka, Fla./Apopka) cruised through 4 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits, but he was tagged on the lower back by a base hit from Drew Whitmer, forcing him to leave the game. Junior Justin Hayes (Mauldin, S.C./Mauldin) (1-1) come on to earn the win, pitching 3 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and five runs. He struck out four and walked two. Freshman Robert Stegbauer (Lynchburg, Ohio/Hillsboro-Clay) pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two.

Kyle Heckathorn (1-1) took the loss for Kennesaw State, allowing seven runs, 10 hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out two.

The Spartans wrap up their three-game set with Kennesaw State on Saturday, hosting the Owls in a doubleheader at Harley Park. First pitch time is set for 1 p.m.