Game Notes

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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After posting a 1-1 mark during the mid-week, the USC Upstate baseball team will travel to Jacksonville, Fla., for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 6 p.m.

Game two of the series will take place Saturday at 1 p.m., with the finale set for a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.

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.

• The Spartans, for the second consecutive week, are ranked 25th in this week's College Baseball Daily Mid-Major Top-25 Poll (Mar. 19).

• Chris Cox earned his first victory in a Spartan uniform as he picked up the win in relief against North Carolina A&T (Mar. 20).

• Against the Aggies, the duo of Brody Greer and Luke Weber combined for seven hits, four RBI and three runs.

• Upstate outscored Lipscomb, 9-1 in the final two games of the series to claim the sweep... Scott DeCecco picked up his fourth win of the season which is tied for the A-Sun lead with eight complete innings vs. Lipscomb (Mar. 17)... In the finale, Brandon Lee tossed his second complete game shutout of the season to improve to 3-1.

• Brody Greer delivered a RBI single in the bottom of the 11th to lift Upstate to a thrilling 10-9 victory over Lipscomb in the A-Sun opener for both teams (Mar. 16)... Chad Sobotka earned the win, the second of his career.

• Upstate's 10-game win streak ended with an 11-0 setback at Charlotte (Mar. 13)... At Furman, the Spartans held a 6-0 advantage (Mid 2nd), however the Paladins scored 10 of the final 11 runs to claim the 10-7 win Mar. 14.

• Upstate's first 11 games of the season took place at the friendly confines of Harley Park (10-1).

• In Upstate's first road game of the season, Trey Richardson delivered a RBI single in the top of the 9th at The Citadel to lift Upstate to a 6-5 win (Mar. 6)... A day later the Spartans scored eight runs in the final two innings to claim an 8-1 victory at Charleston Southern.

• Chad Sobotka picked up his first career win after pitching a scoreless ninth at The Citadel.

• David Palladino picked up his second victory after allowing just one run on five hits in seven innings vs. Georgia State... Palladino struck out seven batters for the second consecutive outing... Chad Sobotka tossed a perfect ninth to earn his third save in six days.

• 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.