Baseball Continues Conference Action at USC Upstate

CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College Baseball team heads to Spartanburg beginning on Friday to open three-game weekend series against USC Upstate with first pitch set for 6 p.m. from Cleveland S. Harley Park. The Spartans and Blue Hose are slated to play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m… All three games are set to be shown on ESPN+ this weekend in Spartanburg.

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
WHAT: Presbyterian (12-14, 11-9 Big South) at USC Upstate (27-9, 18-9 Big South)
WHERE: Cleveland S. Harley Park (Spartanburg, S.C.)
WHEN: Friday April 30, 2021 (6:00 p.m.) | Saturday May 1, 2021 (2:00 p.m.) | Saturday May 1, 2021 (G2 Doubleheader)
THE SERIES (Since 2008): Series tied at 13

FOLLOW THE ACTION
LIVE STATS: Sidearm Stats (Friday & Saturday)
WATCH: ESPN+ (Friday) | ESPN+ (Saturday G1) | ESPN+ (Saturday G2)
LISTEN: Fox Sports 98.3 FM (All three games)
TWITTER: @PresbyterianBSB
GAME NOTES: Presbyterian Notes

ON THE MOUND
Friday
PC – LHP Charlie McDaniel (3-0, 3.41 ERA, 13 K)
UPST – RHP Jordan Marks (7-1, 1.57 ERA, 80 K)

Saturday (Game One)
PC – TBA
UPST – RHP Alex Garbrick (5-2, 2.00 ERA, 52 K)

Saturday (Game Two)
PC – RHP Duncan Howard (1-1, 3.55 ERA, 18 K)
UPST – TBA

Schedule Addition
• The Presbyterian College baseball team has added a home game slated for May 4th at 3:30 p.m. against UNC Asheville at the PC Baseball Complex. The matchup with the Bulldogs will be the final part of the two teams making up the postponed series from March 5th and 6th.

About the Blue Hose
• The Presbyterian College baseball team was unable to overcome a four-run seventh from UNC Asheville as the host Bulldogs earned a 6-2 victory on Tuesday night at Greenwood Baseball Field.
• Sophomore Alex Flood began the game tossing 6.0 no-hit innings as he totaled five strikeouts over his 6.1 inning outing on Tuesday. The Lawrenceville, Ga. native totaled a career-high 6.1 innings and five strikeouts.

Series History
• Presbyterian and USC Upstate meet on Friday to begin the three-game series for the 27th-29th time in the Blue Hose DI era with PC and Upstate tied at 13 in the series. Upstate earned a 13-0 victory in the first meeting of the spring between the two teams on March 23rd and added an 11-8 victory on April 20th in the second meeting.
• In the two prior meetings this season, Zacchaeus Rasberry is four-for-seven with a home run, while Ryan Ouzts and Jeremiah Boyd are both hitting .400.

Scouting USC Upstate
• USC Upstate enters Friday's series opener with a 27-9 overall record including an 18-9 mark in Big South play following a three-game sweep of Longwood last weekend.
• Devin Buckner paces the Spartan offense with a .357 average which includes 13 doubles and 33 runs knocked in. Buckner has five hits and four RBIs in the two prior meetings with the Blue Hose this season.
• Jeff Taylor sits with a .337 average including 10 extra base hits and 18 RBIs, while Jack Hennessy sits at .331 with seven doubles.
• The Spartans have six regulars with at least a .312 average or higher so far this season.
• On the mound, Kevin Davis leads the Spartans bullpen with a 1-1 record over 12 appearances with five saves. Davis has allowed one run in his 18 innings with 28 punchouts.
• Jordan Marks leads Upstate starters with a 7-1 record and a 1.57 ERA. He's recorded 80 strikeouts in 69 innings and holds a WHIP of 0.91.

Toth Earns Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week Honors
• Presbyterian College baseball junior Eric Toth has been named the Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week for games played April 19-25, as announced by the conference office on Monday.
• Toth began his week in Friday's series opener on the mound as he entered with the go-ahead run at the plate but needed just two pitches to notch his third save of the season.
• In game two on Sunday afternoon, Toth entered in the sixth inning and held Campbell to one hit and one walk in the final four frames to record his third win of the season. The victory helped secure Presbyterian's first series win over Campbell in the Blue Hose DI era dating back to 2008.
• Toth also notched a .353 (6-for-17) week at the plate which included two doubles, four runs and 3 RBIs. The Mobile, Ala. native is currently tied for the team lead in wins and saves with three apiece. He leads Blue Hose arms with a WHIP of 1.02.

Wyandt Named to Buster Posey Watch List
• Presbyterian College catcher Jake Wyandt has been named to the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Watch List, as the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced.
• Wyandt is fourth on the team in hitting with a .278 average this season over 18 games played. He leads the team with a .409 on-base percentage while sitting second on the team at a .500 slugging percentage.
• Wyandt is one of four Blue Hose this spring with multiple home runs as he has connected on a pair of long balls. He's tied for the team lead with three stolen bases. Wyandt has a .992 fielding percentage this spring as he has only one error in his 18 games played.
• Behind the plate, he has thrown on six would-be base stealers and picked off one runner.
• The list spotlights 80 catchers including a pair from the Big South Conference. The award, formerly known as the Johnny Bench Award, was created in 2000 to honor college baseball's top catcher in the NCAA Division I ranks.

Veach Earns Olerud Watch List Honor
• Presbyterian College infielder & pitcher Chris Veach has been named to the 10th annual John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award watch list, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation on Tuesday.
• The deep pool of talent resulting from several veteran players returning for an extra season granted by the NCAA in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, plus the influx of new talent from the last two seasons, has created a unique pool of 17 top candidates for the 2021 Olerud watch list.
• The list also includes teammates from two Power 5 schools, three players who have already been honored with the Olerud Player of the Week award and four players who were on the watch list for the 2019 award.
• The Chapin, S.C. native is continuing to lead the Blue Hose offensive attack with a conference leading .348 average thru 16 games. He's had a base hit in 14 of 16 games he's played in this spring.
• Veach has already earned a pair of Big South Freshman of the Week honors this spring as well.

Record Chasing
• Senior Eric Miles needs 26 strikeouts to move into first in the Blue Hose D1 record book. Miles currently sits with 223 career strikeouts.
• Miles needs 5.2 innings pitched to past Brian Kehner for fourth in the DI record book for innings in his Blue Hose career
• Senior Zacchaeus Rasberry needs one stolen base to move into first in the Blue Hose D1 record book. Rasberry has 35 career stolen bases.
• Rasberry's next triple will move him into a tie for fourth in D1 history with his sixth career triple as a Blue Hose.

Up Next
• The Blue Hose return home for the final week of games in Clinton beginning on Tuesday May 4 against UNC Asheville as first pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. at the PC Baseball Complex.

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Players Mentioned

#33 Jeremiah Boyd: C; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

#38 Alex Flood: P; 6' 3"; Sophomore; R/R

#17 Eric Miles: P; 6' 1"; Fifth Year; R/R

#4 Zacchaeus Rasberry: OF; 6' 2"; Fifth Year; R/R

#20 Jake Wyandt: C; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#25 Duncan Howard: P; 6' 3"; Freshman; R/R

#31 Charlie McDaniel: P; 6' 3"; Freshman; L/L

#22 Ryan Ouzts: UTL/P; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

#10 Chris Veach: INF/P; 6' 0"; Freshman; R/R

#7 Eric Toth: P/UTL; 6' 4"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#33 Jeremiah Boyd
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: C

#38 Alex Flood
: 6' 3"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

#17 Eric Miles
: 6' 1"; Fifth Year; R/R
: P

#4 Zacchaeus Rasberry
: 6' 2"; Fifth Year; R/R
: OF

#20 Jake Wyandt
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: C

#25 Duncan Howard
: 6' 3"; Freshman; R/R
: P

#31 Charlie McDaniel
: 6' 3"; Freshman; L/L
: P

#22 Ryan Ouzts
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: UTL/P

#10 Chris Veach
: 6' 0"; Freshman; R/R
: INF/P

#7 Eric Toth
: 6' 4"; Junior; R/R
: P/UTL