Spartanburg, S.C. – Sophomore
Kiley Perry belted a three-run homer in the top of the seventh to lift Furman to a 4-3 victory in game two and doubleheader split versus USC Upstate in non-conference softball action Wednesday at Cyrill Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C. The Spartans claimed a 7-3 win in game one.
With the split, Furman moved to 17-15 on the season and Upstate is now 15-15.
USC Upstate 7, Furman 3
Denver Lauer and Taliyah Thomas combined for six hits and three RBIs to lead USC Upstate to a 7-3 victory in game one.
The Spartans' first five batters of the game reached base against Furman starter
Angelina Ricciardi as USC Upstate played two runs in the bottom of the first. Furman stranded eight runners on base over the first three innings while the Spartans added single runs in the second and third innings to open a 4-0 lead.
The Paladins got on the board in the top of the fourth.
Ashlee Lykins drew a walk, stole second base, and moved to third when Ainsley Yoshizmui reached safely on a fielder's choice.
Sylvia Burroughs singled through the right side to drive in Lykins and Yoshizumi scored on a two-out error to cut the deficit to 4-2.
USC Upstate answered with a two-run single from Thomas in the bottom of the fourth and Lauer added an RBI base hit the following inning to push the lead to 7-2. Furman's
Kiley Perry doubled and scored on
Hannah Poole's line drive single off the leg of USC Upstate pitcher Sierra Maness in the top of the sixth, but the Upstate freshman retired the Paladins in the seventh to earn the victory. Maness (8-6) scattered five hits and allowed three runs over seven innings. She walked seven batters and struck out six.
Ricciardi (1-3) took the loss for the Paladins allowing seven runs, four earned, on 11 hits in 5.1 innings of work. She walked four batters and notched two strikeouts.
Lauer and Thomas both went 3-for-4 at the plate for Upstate. Lykins worked three walks for the Paladins while Perry and
Ansley Chiang added doubles.
Furman 4, USC Upstate 3
Trailing 3-0 entering the seventh inning, Furman plated four runs, capped by Perry's three-run blast, to rally past the Spartans, 4-3.
Lykins reached on a bunt single to start the frame and
Caitlin Goldwait reached on a fielder's choice when Upstate's shortstop tried to throw behind Lykins at second base after she swiped the bag. Burroughs laced a run-scoring double to center to put the tying run in scoring position before Perry launched her fifth homer of the season, a three-run shot, to the opposite field.
Junior
Lauralee Scott retired the Spartans in order in the bottom of the seventh to up her record in the circle to 6-1. She limited USC Upstate to one run on one hit in 2.2 innings of relief.
Goldwait notched two hits,
Hana Hashioka totaled two hits and a walk, and Perry finished 1-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs, and a base on balls.
Ashlee Lykins, who started the rally, singled and walked in game two. She has reached base safely in 28 of the last 29 games.
The Spartans grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third inning by taking advantage of an error. Alanna Deal lofted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Abigail Pippen with the first run of the game. Upstate began the bottom of the fourth with three consecutive singles, including an RBI base hit from Abby Polk, but Furman starter
Sierra Tufts pitched her way out of further trouble and stranded two runners in scoring position.
The Spartans used a single, stolen base, and wild pitch to add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth against Scott.
Maddie Drerup (5-7) took the loss for USC Upstate. She surrendered four runs on eight hits in seven innings. Abby Polk collected two hits in game two for the Spartans.
Furman (17-15, 3-0 SoCon) jumps back into Southern Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at UNC Greensboro. First pitch of Friday's doubleheader at UNCG Softball Stadium in Greensboro, N.C., is set for 1 p.m. and the series finale is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday. All three games between the SoCon leaders will be streamed live on ESPN+.
