HARTSVILLE, SC – USC Upstate scored six runs in the final four innings to defeat Coker 7-5 Wednesday afternoon in collegiate baseball.  The Spartans improve to 16-6 on the season while CC drops to 10-12 overall. 

Upstate plated one run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly for the early lead.  Coker answered with on in the second on a RBI double by T.J. Dawson and another in the third on a RBI double from Ben Kershner.

The Cobras made it 4-1 in the fifth with a wild pitch and a RBI single by Seth Weinberg.  In the sixth USC Upstate finally broke loose as CC pitcher Larry Morris ran into control problems. 

The Spartans had four singles and two walks to start the inning and chase Morris from the game.  Kyle Strickland came on in relief and stopped the run but a sac fly scored the fourth run of the inning.

Upstate added two more runs in the top of the ninth and Coker scored once in the bottom of the ninth to complete the scoring.

Freshman Brad Boob started the game for CC and pitched two innings with one run allowed.  Morris went three innings with four runs allowed and Strickland pitched four innings with four hits and two runs allowed. 

Weinberg went 2-4 with a RBI and a run scored and Kershner had a double and two RBI.  Dawson also had two hits, as did Eric Losten.

Josh Clark entered the game at DH for the Spartans in the sixth inning and went 3-3 with two runs scored.  Brad Wingo and Bret Hansen each had two hits and a pair of runs scored, while Matt Goyea and Jim Kais both drove in a pair.

Coker returns to action tomorrow, March 10, at 2:00 PM against Shaw University.