Vance Sheahan Collects Five Hits as Offense Backs Solid Pitching in Baseball's 9-2 Win Over Bowling Green

Sunday, February 23

Spartanburg, S.C.

1:00 p.m.

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics

3-3

Bowling Green

4-2

Bowling Green

USC Upstate

Photo by: Emily Rangel

2/23/2025 6:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Building upon the momentum it picked up with yesterday's victory, USC Upstate baseball closed the fourth iteration of the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic with a pair of wins, putting together a strong performance in all three phases Sunday to earn redemption against Bowling Green with a 9-2 victory at Cleveland S. Harley Park.

Leading the Spartan offense to a season-high 13 hits, sophomore shortstop Vance Sheahan pounded out a career-high five hits, becoming the 13^th different player in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) to record five or more hits in a game (18^th occurrence). He collected one of two extra-base hits for Upstate Sunday with an RBI double down the third base line, leading him to a pair of RBI and runs scored on the day.

Junior first baseman Wylie Waters notched the other extra-base hit, crushing a two-run homer to left-center in his second at-bat. Joining Sheahan and Waters with a multi-hit and a multi-RBI game, junior outfielder Cayden Wotipka recorded a pair of knocks and RBI, driving home a pair in a three-run first inning for the Upstate offense.

Continuing the solid pitching effort from Spartan starting pitchers, sophomore left-handed pitcher Chris Torres tossed a career-long 6.2 innings in his second start of the year, scattering four hits and seven baserunners while striking out five. Following Torres, junior right-hander Braden Consaul and sophomore righty Darin Kuskie combined for 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings in relief, striking out three combined.

Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 9; Bowling Green 2
Records: USC Upstate (3-3; 0-0 Big South); Bowling Green (4-2; 0-0 MAC)
Location: Cleveland S. Harley Park | Spartanburg, S.C.

How It Happened

B1: Opening the day's scoring, Upstate took advantage of a muffed throw to second on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, scratching the first run as the error prolonged the inning. Cayden Wotipka followed with a two-run single dumped into right, pushing the Spartans to three runs in the first.
B2: Tacking on two more for the Spartans, Wylie Waters unloaded on a 0-1 pitch, homering to left-center.
T3: Getting a run back, Bowling Green's Alex Laird homered to left-center, leaving the yard just below the scoreboard.
B4: Tucking a ball just inside the third base bag and down into the leftfield corner, Vance Sheahan tallied his first RBI, scoring Alex Ritzer from first.
B5: Lifting a fly ball into center with a pair of runners in scoring position, Preston Lucas plated another with a sac fly, sending Henry Zenor home from third.
T7: Scoring in similar fashion to their first run, the Falcons added another to the scoreboard on a solo shot from Brady Birchmeier.
B7: Flipping its lineup over with runners on the corners, Upstate plated a pair in the seventh, earning its run back and then some. Executing a squeeze play, Scott Newman pushed across the first before Sheahan drove home another, capping the day's scoring.

Notable

Collecting a career-high five hits Sunday, Vance Sheahan becomes the 13^th Spartan in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) to collect five or more hits in a game, the 18^th instance of a five-plus hit contest. He's the first since Koby Kropf on April 27, 2024, at Presbyterian to accomplish the feat.
Tossing 6.2 innings for the Spartans, Chris Torres turned in his longest career outing in his second start in an Upstate uniform. Putting forth a quality start, he follows Max Kaplan (Saturday vs. Le Moyne) in giving the Spartans consecutive quality starts on the mound.

Up Next for the Spartans
Closing the early-season, two-game midweek set against Western Carolina, Upstate welcomes the Catamounts to Cleveland S. Harley Park Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. ET.

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