Game Notes

Follow the Spartans on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – For the second consecutive week, the USC Upstate baseball team will just play one contest during the midweek as the team will host Georgia State Wednesday.  First pitch between the Spartans and the Panthers is slated for 4 p.m. at Harley Park.

After the midweek contest against Georgia State, the Spartans will begin a stretch of five games in five days beginning Saturday when Albany makes the trek to Spartanburg.  Air Force and Valparaiso will also visit Harley Park, before the Spartans travel to Charleston to face The Citadel and Charleston Southern.

First Pitch…

• The 2012 season marks the first season of full NCAA Division I eligibility for the Spartans... After a five-year transitional phase from D-II to D-I, Upstate is eligible for postseason play.

• Head Coach Matt Fincher is in his 15th season at the helm of the Spartan baseball program.

• Upstate's first 11 games of the season will take place at the friendly confines of Harley Park.

• The Spartans have scored 61 runs in their first seven contests, compared to 21 for their opponents.

• The series sweep of Eastern Kentucky (Feb. 24-26) was the first for the Spartan baseball program since Feb. 27-28, 2010 (Courtyard by Marriott Baseball Classic)

• Brandon Lee was named the A-Sun Pitcher (Feb. 27) after firing a complete game shutout in the series finale against Eastern Kentucky (Feb. 26)... Lee, who tossed 105 pitches (73 strikes), struck out 12 Colonels while giving up just four hits and one walk... The junior also picked up National Guard Spartan of the Week honors.

• Gaither Bumgardner led the Spartans at the plate last week... In four games, the junior batted .588 (10-of-17; 1 2B, 1 3B) on the week with 9 runs and 6 RBI.  Bumgardner posted a .765 slugging %, a .611 on-base % and a perfect 1.000 fielding %.

• Tyler Miller hit his first home run of the season against Eastern Kentucky (Feb. 24), while rookie Greg Guers recorded his first collegiate homer against the Colonels (Feb. 25).

• Scott DeCecco improved to 2-0 on the season as he recorded a quality start against Eastern Kentucky (Feb. 25)... DeCecco allowed just one run on four hits with four strikeouts in the Spartans' victory over the Colonels.

• Ben Augenstein picked up his first win in a Spartan uniform in the series opener against Eastern Kentucky (Feb. 24)... Augenstein, who relieved David Roseboom, allowed one run on six hits in four innings of work.

• Luke Weber and Austin Liput tallied their first home runs of the 2012 campaign against the Paladins.

• David Palladino earned his first collegiate win against Furman... In the pre-determined short start, Palladino pitched four innings, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out seven... Palladino was a 13th-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

• Gaither Bumgardner and Brody Greer paced the Spartans during opening weekend... Bumgardner batted .462 (6-13, 1 double) while tallying four RBI and one run... Greer had five hits in 12 at-bats (.417) and scored four runs.