SPARTANBURG----USC Upstate designated hitter Kyle Bowley was 2-for-3 with a two-RBI triple and a two-run home run in the seventh inning that broke a 7-7 tie to lead the 18th-ranked Spartans over Peach Belt Conference rival Lander 12-8 in a wild game Friday night at Harley Park.
Upstate improves to 27-18 on the year, 11-11 in the Peach Belt Conference, while Lander falls to 15-30, 4-18 in conference play.
The Spartans led 1-0 when the Bearcats clawed ahead with three runs in the third inning including a RBI single by right fielder Danny Morgan for a 3-1 lead. Down 4-1 in the fourth inning, Upstate retook the lead with five runs coming on run-scoring singles from Bret Story, Jake Rollins, and John Caddell along with Bowley's two-run triple to take a 6-4 lead.
Lander responded in the top of the fifth inning on RBI singles by second baseman Jared Altus and catcher Eric Barrett to tie the game at 6-6, but the Spartans reclaimed the lead at 7-6 in the bottom of the inning on a run-scoring double by Mike Colecchi.
After the Bearcats tied the game at 7-7 in the sixth inning with first baseman Jesse Barbaro bringing in a run on a double, Upstate took the lead for good with Bowley's second home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the seventh for a 9-7 lead. The Spartans padded the lead with three runs in the eighth including a sacrifice fly by story.
Lander threatened in the top of the eighth with runners on first and second base, but sophomore relief pitcher Justin Hayes struck out center fielder T.J. Guinan to end the threat. Hayes got the necessary three outs for his third save of the season in the ninth despite the Bearcats scoring a run off an Upstate error.
Story was 2-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Spartans and sophomore second baseman Eric Guillen was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Colecchi finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and freshman relief pitcher Teddy Fallon (1-2) picked up his first career win.
Barrett was 4-for-5 with a double and a RBI to lead Lander and Barbaro was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. Relief pitcher Derek Wilson (1-10) took the loss for the Bearcats.
