#1 USC Upstate Edges #5 Charleston Southern, 3-0
Upstate split the first day at the Big South Championship in Farmville as they beat No.5 seed Charleston Southern 3-0 in the morning and fell 6-1 in the evening to No.2 seed Campbell. Despite the 1-1 Big South Championship record, Upstate will play the winner of No.4 seed Presbyterian and No.3 seed Longwood at 12:30 p.m. with weather permitting, in hopes of going through to the finals on Saturday.
Upstate took an early jump on the Bucs, scoring all three of their runs in the first inning. Casey Goguts got things started as she reached first on a CSU fielding error. The error gave enough time for Summer Johnson and Celeste Delorenzo to reach home. Goguts then distracted the CSU defense, forcing the catcher to send the ball to the second baseman, in hopes of catching Goguts stealing. Pinch runner Caroline Jacquay seized the open home plate and made a break, successfully stealing home, while Goguts trotted to second while the Bucs frantically tried to get Jacquay out. Hannah Houge took the circle against CSU where she pitched 7.0 innings and had eight strikeouts.
After nearly a 90 minute rain delay, Upstate threw the first pitch against Campbell. Houge started in the circle once again for the Spartans and successfully shutout the Fighting Camels for the first two innings. In the top of the third, Campbell posted two runs off a single followed by a grand slam to take the lead. Upstate showed resilience through the rest of the game, including posting one run for Tiffany Domingue after a Campbell fielding error. Alyssa Kelly relieved Houge in the circle and had three strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
Game One
Score: USC Upstate 3; Charleston Southern 0
Records: USC Upstate (48-8, 21-6 Big South); Charleston Southern (27-27, 12-13 Big South)
Location: Lancer Field | Farmville, Va.
How It Happened
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B1: Casey Goguts reached on a fielding error by the CSU second baseman, advancing Caroline Jacquay to third and sending Summer Johnson and Celeste Delorenzo home.
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B1: While Casey Goguts started to make a break for second, pinch runner Caroline Jacquay made a break to steal home. Jacquay was successful in her attempt while Goguts advanced to second in the meantime.