SPARTANBURG----Emily Jeffery struck out seven and tossed a two-hit, 9-0 shutout in game one and the Spartans gutted out a 2-0 win in game two as the 16th-ranked Spartans recorded a pair of shutouts of Peach Belt Conference rival Lander Thursday evening at Cyrill Stadium. (Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box)

Upstate improves to 32-8 overall and 11-3 in the Peach Belt.  Lander falls to 11-29 overall and 4-10 in the league.

In game one, Upstate jumped on top in the first inning when Amber Patterson singled up the middle to score Heidi Gibbs.  The Spartans added to the lead in the second when Gibbs grounded out to second and Ana Mitchell scored on the play.  Upstate made it a 4-0 lead in the third when Patterson and Tiffany Pitcher doubled to drive in runs.

Upstate ended the game with five runs in the fourth inning.  Shay Slater singled to drive in a run, Vanesa Flores smacked a two-run homer, her 15th of the season, Patterson stole home on a double steal, and Pitcher scored on a wild pitch as the Spartans took a 9-0 lead.

Jeffery improved to 12-2 on the year.  Lander starter Ashlea Burdette (4-11) took the loss.  Patterson finished 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs to lead the Spartans at the plate.

In the second game, Upstate opened a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Flores.  The Spartans increased the lead to 2-0 with a run in the fourth when Gibbs stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher.

Upstate starter Brittany Rice kept the Lander hitters off balance, scattering six hits in the shutout to improve to 12-4.  Lander starter Austin Murray (4-14) took the loss for the Bearcats.

Gibbs finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and seven other Spartans finished with one hit.  Daisy Stewart led Lander with a pair of hits.