USC Upstate defeated Furman in a doubleheader softball matchup on Wednesday at Cyrill Stadium in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Spartans secured an 8-0 win in the first game and followed up with a 12-1 victory in the second, both ending after five innings due to the mercy rule.
In the opening game, USC Upstate scored five runs in the first inning. Elle Christopher and Laila Landrum each delivered two-run singles to give their team an early lead. The Spartans added single runs over the next three innings. Maddie Drerup pitched a complete-game shutout for USC Upstate, allowing only two hits and striking out five batters. Taliyah Thomas contributed with two hits, including a home run, and scored twice. Christopher finished with three RBIs.
Furman’s Lily O’Bryan started on the mound and gave up eight runs on seven hits across just over three innings. She walked five batters without recording any strikeouts. Katie Peeler and Christina McCoy were responsible for Furman’s only hits.
The second game saw USC Upstate score nine runs in the first inning as they sent 13 batters to the plate. The rally was aided by six hits, three walks, and two errors from Furman’s defense. Christopher hit another two-run single while Thomas cleared the bases with a double during that inning.
Chloe Poteete earned her fourth win of the season by holding Furman to one unearned run on six hits over five innings; she struck out six and walked one batter. Thomas led USC Upstate offensively with three hits in four at-bats and drove in four runs as part of a 12-hit effort by her team.
Taylor Miller took the loss for Furman after giving up seven runs on four hits and two walks while retiring just one batter. Shortstop Kate Stoltzfus had two hits and scored Furman’s only run of the nightcap.
Furman’s record dropped to 1-15 following these games. The Paladins will host their own tournament—the Paladin Invitational—at Pepsi Stadium this weekend, starting Friday against George Mason at 6 p.m., with free admission offered to attendees.
