USC Upstate Softball lost to Winthrop 4-3 after a walk-off home run during the opening game of their weekend series, according to an April 10 report. The game was played Friday evening in Rock Hill, South Carolina, as part of a rematch from the 2025 Big South Softball Championship.
The outcome is significant for both teams as it sets the tone for the rest of the series and reflects on their performance since last year’s championship meeting. The close contest also highlights key individual performances and team efforts leading into upcoming games.
USC Upstate took an early lead in the first inning after Taliyah Thomas singled and eventually scored following a wild pitch, sacrifice bunt, and groundout. In the second inning, Abby Polk doubled and was brought home by Alyssa Davenport’s RBI single. Pitcher Maddie Drerup helped hold Winthrop scoreless through two innings with two strikeouts. Amie Johnson started off the fourth with an infield single before Davenport collected her second hit of the night, adding another RBI.
Winthrop responded later in the game by tying it up at three runs each through a two-RBI single and a foul out that plated another run. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Winthrop secured victory with a walk-off homerun to left field.
Freshman Alyssa Davenport recorded her sixteenth multi-hit game this season (tied for most on her team) along with her seventh multi-RBI outing. Senior infielder Carson Shaw notched her second three-hit game this year, increasing her total multi-hit games to seven. The Spartans have now achieved double-digit hits in consecutive weekend Big South matchups.
Looking ahead, USC Upstate will play Winthrop again Saturday afternoon at Terry Field in a doubleheader broadcast live on ESPN+. Tickets are available for both Sparty’s Ball—the university’s main athletic fundraiser—and for next year’s Big South Softball Championship hosted at Hawkins Field at Cyrill Stadium from May 6-9.
