SPARTANBURG, S.C. – A hard hit single to third with two outs in the 10th inning handed Jacksonville a tough loss to USC Upstate, 4-3, Friday at Harley Park. The loss ended Jacksonville's (32-19, 13-6) three-game win streak and snapped a five-game skid for Upstate (21-29, 4-14).
"That's a tough one to swallow there, especially after Nathan Disch settled down and pitched one of the better games of his year," said Head Coach Tim Montez. "Chris Gau threw it well but we made a mistake on an 0-2 count and they (Upstate) took advantage of it. We had our opportunities early and didn't take advantage of all of them. That's what happens in a close ball game. We've got to rebound and finish the weekend."
Gau (0-2) came on in relief to start the ninth after Disch worked eight strong innings. He allowed just five hits, three earned runs, and had six strikeouts to just one walk. After giving up three hits and two runs in the third, he did not allow a hit until the seventh, where he enjoyed consecutive double plays to end the seventh and eighth.
Jordan Ford led off the 10th for the Spartans with a hit-by-pitch, then was pinch-ran for by Pat Raiff. Jordan Ford laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Hunter Gilbert rolled out to short to move Raiff to third with two away. That set the stage for Devon Ortiz's hard-hit single to third.
Upstate opened the scoring with a run in the second. Cole Brittain led off the frame with a double to left, then consecutive grounders, the last being an RBI bouncer by Beaver, led to the game's first run.
The Spartans place two across in the third. Three-straight singles by Gilbert, Ortiz, and JJ Shimko loaded the bags for a Daniel Fickas fielder's choice to score Gilbert. James Fowlkes then flew out to shallow left-center and Nathan Koslowski made a diving catch for the second out of the inning, but the sacrifice fly moved the Spartan lead to 3-0.
Jacksonville got its first run off Spartan starter Tyler Jackson in the fourth. JJ Gould hit his second double of the day with one out in the fourth. Sam Armstrong followed with a screaming single up the middle to score Gould.
The Dolphins tied the game an inning later. Dakota Julylia reached second on in error in left after Shimko dropped a deep fly ball. After a Franco Guardascione groundout to third, Koslowksi delivered a single up the middle that plated Julylia and cut the deficit to a run. Parker Perez poked a single over Gilbert at third to put two Dolphins on, and Gould came through with his third hit of the night on an RBI single through the left side.
The Dolphins were held hitless the until the ninth as Jackson rebounded to finish with seven innings, six hits, three runs and one earned, no walks, and seven strikeouts.
Bryan Hathaway (3-1) was victorious in relief with one hit over three innings, four batters fanned, and no walks.
Jacksonville and Upstate meet again Friday at 6:00 p.m.
