USC Upstate baseball is on the brink of elimination from the NCAA Tournament after losing to Clemson (45-16) in the opening game of regionals.
The No. 4 seed Spartans (36-24) fell to No. 11 overall seed Clemson 7-3 on May 30 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. USC Upstate will now need to beat No. 3 seed Kentucky (29-25) in an elimination game at noon ET on May 31.
Kentucky lost to West Virginia earlier in the day 4-3.
USC Upstate held a 2-0 lead over the Tigers thanks to a solo home run from Johnny Sweeney and an RBI single from Gage Griggs. Clemson had a three-run fifth inning and got four runs in the eighth for the win.
If USC Upstate beats Kentucky, it would face the loser of Clemson and No. 2 seed West Virginia (42-14) in another elimination game on June 1 (noon ET).
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USC Upstate baseball vs Kentucky score updates
USC Upstate baseball score: Wildcats 3, Spartans 0, bottom of 1
Kentucky five-hole hitter Carson Hansen blasted a three-run home run to left field with runners on first and third and two outs to give Kentucky the early lead.
What time does USC Upstate baseball vs Kentucky start?
- Date: Saturday, May 31
- Time: Noon ET
- Location: Doug Kingsmore Stadium (Clemson, South Carolina)
What TV channel is USC Upstate vs Kentucky on today?
USC Upstate baseball starting pitcher
Left-hander Chris Torres has a 4.72 ERA and an 8-4 record in 76⅓ innings. He secured a victory in his previous outing on May 24 against Charleston Southern. Torres allowed just three hits, four walks and one earned run while striking out four.
Kentucky baseball starting pitcher
Right-hander Nic McCray has a 4.37 ERA along with a 5-0 record in 68 innings. In his last start against Vanderbilt, McCray allowed six hits, two walks, four strikeouts and five runs, four of them earned in 3⅔ innings.
NCAA baseball schedule
Here is the latest college baseball schedule and NCAA Tournament bracket update.
NCAA Tournament Clemson Regional baseball schedule
May 30
- Game 1: West Virginia, 4, Kentucky 3
- Game 2: Clemson 7, USC Upstate 3
May 31
- Game 3: Kentucky vs. USC Upstate, noon, TBD (elimination game)
- Game 4: West Virginia vs. Clemson, 6 p.m., TBD
June 1
- Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon, TBD (elimination game)
- Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m., TBD
June 2
Game 7: Regional championship game (if necessary), TBD
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