The Presbyterian College softball team secured a place in the upcoming Big South Tournament after defeating USC Upstate 3-0 on May 1. The win ended a four-year postseason drought for Presbyterian, who will enter the tournament as the number four seed regardless of future results.
This development is significant for the program, marking their first postseason appearance since 2022 and demonstrating an improvement in performance against conference rivals. Senior pitcher Peyton Duncan played a key role, delivering her seventh complete-game shutout and holding USC Upstate to just one hit over her last 15 at-bats.
“Not only was Game One the first time that PC had ever defeated the Spartans on the road, it also marked the first time that they defeated Upstate while holding them to zero runs regardless of location,” according to team notes. Sophomore Baxleigh Arnette contributed offensively by hitting her first career home run, which helped cement Presbyterian’s victory and tournament berth. Audrey Burton scored after a passed ball in the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie before Arnette’s homer extended the lead.
Despite dropping game two of Friday’s doubleheader by a score of 10-7, Presbyterian’s seeding remains unchanged for next week’s tournament. Hali Duke maintained one of the best batting averages in conference play at .385 and leads her team in hits against divisional opponents. Molly Mattas added two runs batted in during game two but USC Upstate recovered from an early deficit to win.
The series finale was rescheduled due to expected rain but will not affect either team’s position entering postseason play. As both teams prepare for their respective tournament challenges, Presbyterian looks ahead with momentum following this milestone victory.
