ASHEVILLE, N.C. – USC Upstate baseball kicked off its Big South Conference Tournament journey with an 11-8 victory over Longwood. This win marked the Spartans’ fourth consecutive triumph in the tournament, extending their success from last season.
Rightfielder Henry Zenor set the tone early by smashing a homer on the first pitch he saw. It was his seventh home run of the season. Not to be outdone, centerfielder Trey Bentley followed up with a dramatic grand slam in the sixth inning, wrapping up a standout game with four hits and four RBIs.
Senior leftfielder Preston Lucas also contributed significantly, recording two hits and two RBIs. Notably, eight out of nine Spartans in the lineup managed at least one hit during the game.
On the mound, the Spartans’ pitching staff shined with 12 strikeouts, achieving their tenth game of the season with double-digit strikeouts. Junior pitcher Chris Torres led the way, striking out nine batters in 5.2 innings. In relief, Max Bianchini and Jacob Kirby also contributed to closing the game, with Kirby striking out two in his two-inning appearance.
Game Highlights
- In the first inning, Zenor’s homer set the stage, marking his third home run at the Big South Championship.
- Longwood tied the game in the third inning after a leadoff double and a single.
- Upstate regained the lead with crucial runs tied to errors by Longwood.
- Longwood answered back with four runs in the sixth, but Bentley’s grand slam in the same inning solidified Upstate’s win.
Interesting Facts
- Bentley recorded his tenth outfield assist of the season during the game.
- This match marked the first time since April 2024 that multiple Spartans had outfield assists in a single game.
- Zenor’s early homer extended the Spartans’ streak of games with a home run at the Big South Championship to four.
- Torres tied a program record for strikeouts in a Big South Tournament game with nine, matching a record set in 2019.
- With this win, the Spartans have now achieved 30 victories this season, marking their longest stretch of 30-plus win seasons in school history.
The Spartans continue their bid for the Big South title, taking on No. 2 Winthrop in their next matchup.
