USC Upstate (mid-week game)

Western Carolina hosts USC Upstate in a midweek game in Cullowhee on Wednesday, hoping to avenge a 3-9 loss to the Spartans in February 2022. 

Who: USC Upstate Spartans 

When: Wednesday, May 4th, 2022 

Time: 6:00 pm 

Where: Hennon Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

Radio: none 

TV/Video: ESPN+

Live Stats: WCU Live stats

Nickname: Spartans 

Colors: Green, White, Black 

Head Coach: Mike McGuire is in his second season as the head baseball coach at USC Upstate. McGuire joins USC Upstate after seven seasons as head coach of the NCAA Division I baseball program at Morehead State University in Kentucky. Under McGuire's leadership, the team compiled an overall record of 228-187 and a conference record of 118-91, including an average of 37 wins per season over the past five years. During the past five seasons, McGuire led the Eagles to 183 victories, which ranks in the top-40 nationally. The team defeated 10 nationally-ranked opponents and were champions of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and NCAA Regional Participants in 2015 and 2018.

Moranda's record vs. Upstate:  1-1

McGuire's record vs. WCU:  1-1 

USC Upstate's 2022 record: 27-17 overall, 20-7 home, 7-9 away, 0-1 neutral court, 13-5 Big South

USC Upstate's 2021 record:  37-16 overall, 18-5 home, 19-9 away, 0-2 neutral, 28-12 Big South

The Series: In the eleventh overall meeting between the two teams, the Cats are 7-3 against the Spartans in a series that started in 1986. The Cats had won the last 6 games in the series with the Spartans until Upstate broke the string with a 9-3 win over the Cats back in February in Spartanburg, SC.

The Spartans claimed a program-record 37 victories a season ago, picking up wins over Clemson and No. 12 Georgia Tech during a record-setting season. Upstate captured a program-best 28 conference victories in 2021, claiming the No. 2 seed in last season's Big South Tournament following a 37-16 (28-12 Big South) campaign. Last season, Upstate was one of the top teams in the nation at both the plate and on the mound, concluding the season ranked in the top-25 in the NCAA in both batting average (24th; .298) and earned run average (16th; 3.68). 

After 37 wins last season, the Spartans were picked second in the Big South Conference preseason poll. The Spartans are coming off a series win against GWU (2 of 3 games) and have won 6 of their last 7 games.

Probable Starting Pitchers 

Western Carolina | RHP Nick Hyde (0-0; 8.62 ERA) 

USC Upstate | RHP Trey Miller (1-3; 5.44 ERA)