The Basics

Score: USC Upstate 8, Western Carolina 0 (5); USC Upstate 5, Western Carolina 0

Records: Western Carolina 13-21, USC Upstate 28-10

Location: Cyrill Stadium, Spartanburg, S.C.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina softball dropped a pair of mid-week games Wednesday falling to USC Upstate 8-0, in five innings, and 5-0 at Cyrill Stadium.

USC Upstate 8, Western Carolina 0 (5)

Turning Point

USC Upstate scored in four of the five innings played hitting two homeruns.

How it Happened

USC Upstate scored two runs in the first, hit a home run in the third, plated a single run in the fourth, and pushed across four runs in the fifth to shorten the game to five innings.

Inside the Box Score

• Western Carolina had a runner on in four of the five innings and thrice had a runner on second base.
• Junior Ashlyn Long erased the USC Upstate pitcher Christina Biggerstaff's no-hitter attempt with a double in the third inning.
• Senior Madison Armstrong equated for Western Carolina's second hit of the game with a bunt single in the fifth inning.
• Western Carolina left five runners on and USC Upstate stranded six.
• The Spartans had 11 hits in the game.
• Senior pitcher Shaina Reed got the start and takes the loss falling to 4-11 on the year. She gave up seven runs on nine hits and struck out one.
• Kayla Brewer replaced Reed with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. She gave up one run on two hits.

USC Upstate 5, Western Carolina 0

Turning Point

USC Upstate scored all five runs in the first four innings and Spartan pitcher Erin Hill struck out 10 Catamounts in the game.

How it Happened

• A two-out single in the bottom of the first scored a run for USC Upstate to take the early 1-0 lead after one inning.
• The Spartans added a second run in the game off a two-out solo home run.
• USC Upstate tacked on four runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Catamounts halted the Spartan scoring turning a double play to end the inning.

Inside the Box Score

• Armstrong and Hunter Gibbons each had hits in the game. 
• The Catamounts had runners on base in five of the seven innings.
• Junior Kinsey Liscio tossed a complete game giving up five runs on eight hits and striking out two. She falls to 7-6 on the season.
• Spartan pitcher Hill had a career-high 10 strikeouts.

News & Notes

• Armstrong is now on a three-game hitting streak.
• Western Carolina is suffering through a four-game losing streak and has been shut out in three of those four games.

Up Next

Western Carolina hosts Samford April 6-7 in a Southern Conference series. The doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. Saturday with the final game of the series slated for 1 p.m. Sunday. 

For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @wcusoftball on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.