BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb and USC Upstate combined for eight home runs on Wednesday night and the Spartans took a 12-4 win over the 'Dogs at Bill Masters Field.

The meeting was a non-conference affair for USC Upstate (22-16) and Gardner-Webb (13-25), who will not play a Big South game this season as part of the league's unbalanced schedule.

The Spartans struck first, with Devin Buckner hammering a fastball over the left field fence to lead off the game. Noah Myers was hit by the next pitch and scored when Noah Sullivan went yard to right center for a quick 3-0 lead. GWU starter Lenny Washington worked out of the jam from there.

Gardner-Webb got one of those runs back in the bottom of the first, as Alec Burns smashed a fastball deep over the fence in centerfield for his fifth home run of the season. Upstate wasted little time taking control of the game, getting another home run from Sullivan and scoring four runs in the top of the second to go up 7-1.

The Spartans added another run in the top of the third, but Gardner-Webb rallied with three runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth – keyed by a two-run home run off the bat of Trevor Mattson – to trim the lead to 8-4.                                                                                                                                                          

Gardner-Webb had seven hits in the game, led by Bo Rusher III and his 2-for-4 night. Lenny Washington (0-2) took the loss, allowing five runs on just three hits in 1.1 innings. GWU used five pitchers in the game.

Upstate collected 11 hits, with all but three going for extra bases. The Spartans were led by Sullivan, who went 3-for-5 with a pair of homers and six RBI. 

Gardner-Webb will travel to Charleston, S.C., on Friday for a three-game series at Charleston Southern. USC Upstate will head home to host North Carolina A&T in a weekend series.