Box Score
SPARTANBURG, SC—Host USC Upstate scored single runs in each of the last two innings to pull out a 3-2 win over visiting NJIT on the final day of the Courtyard by Marriott Baseball Classic Sunday morning.
The Spartans (5-2) had scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning, but fell behind when NJIT (0-3) plated runs of its own in the fourth and seventh innings. However, USC Upstate drew even on a run in the eighth and grabbed the win on a two-out hit in the bottom of the ninth.
Both starting pitchers had strong games, but the decisions went to relievers. Freshman LHP Jordan Rusk (1-0) pitched the last to innings for the home team to earn the win, while John Gray, the third of four Highlander pitchers, was tagged with the loss. A freshman, he is 0-1.
Freshman SS Brody Greer, who drove in the winning run for USC Upstate, was one of two Spartans to collect two hits in the game. Greer's other hit was a double, one of two extra-base hits for his team.
Junior 2B Matt Tomczyk went 2-for-3 for the Highlanders, including an RBI double that gave NJIT a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh. His double drove home freshman LF Teddy Bickert, who had doubled with one out.
The biggest positive of the game for NJIT was likely the work of its starting pitcher, freshman LHP Tripp Davis, who went seven complete innings and allowed a lone unearned run on just four hits in his college debut. Davis struck out three and walked one.
USC Upstate starter junior RHP Philip Brannon was also impressive, going seven innings and allowing six hits and two runs (one earned), with five strikeouts and a walk.
Greer led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and eventually scored an unearned run on a two-out NJIT error. That would be all the scoring for the Spartans against Davis, who was the first of four freshmen to take the mound for the Highlanders on Sunday.
NJIT did not get a baserunner until the third inning, when Tomczyk walked and RF Jeffrey Pizzi singled.
The Highlanders tied the score in the fourth. C Bryan Bleakley singled and went to second on an error. He later came around on a two-out single for 3B John Berner.
NJIT went up by a run in the seventh when Bickert hit his double down the right field line and, after an out, Tomczyk jumped on the first pitch for a double down the left field line.
Davis, who had retired USC Upstate in order in the seventh, but who had thrown 97 pitches in his debut, gave way to classmate John Prestano, who allowed a leadoff single and threw a wild pitch before recording the first out. USC Upstate's Trey Richardson then singled to tie the score.
NJIT freshman John Gray, who had pitched a scoreless ninth inning against Dayton on Saturday, took over for Prestano and induced a double-play grounder to squelch the Spartan threat, keeping the score tied.
The Highlanders got two baserunners in the top of the ninth, but could not score. In the bottom half, junior CF Andre Harris led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second on a bunt. After a ground out, Gray walked Upstate RF Brian Dempsey, which prompted NJIT coach Brian Callahan to bring freshman DJ Roche from the bullpen. Roche, facing Greer, got the count to 2-2, but Greer singled, scoring Harris with the walk-off run.
Matt Tomczyk was honored with selection to the all-tournament team.
The Highlanders are off until next weekend, when they return south to Greensboro, NC, for three games at North Carolina A&T, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 pm.
