USC Upstate Softball achieved a decisive 13-1 win against Charleston Southern in the opening game of their Big South Weekend Series, according to an April 24 announcement. The Spartans’ offense was key, producing a season-high 14 hits in conference play.
The game began with Taliyah Thomas hitting a leadoff triple, followed by Sophia Kardatzke’s RBI single that brought in the first run. Kardatzke later scored after advancing on groundouts. In the bottom of the first inning, Abby Polk and Laney Jennings combined for a play at home plate to keep Charleston Southern scoreless. Upstate extended its lead in the second inning with walks and base hits, including a two-RBI single from Thomas and back-to-back doubles by Carson Shaw and Mackenzei Bernal-Mahagan.
The Spartans continued their offensive push with four more runs off five hits in subsequent innings. Notable contributions included doubles from Abby Polk and three consecutive RBI singles from Thomas, Kardatzke, and Shaw. By game’s end, Upstate had added two more runs while limiting Charleston Southern to one run late in the contest.
Several players stood out during the match: Thomas led with three hits and three RBIs; Kardatzke had two hits and two RBIs; Polk contributed two hits and two RBIs; Ella Christopher added two hits; Shaw also recorded two hits along with three RBIs. Senior pitcher Maddie Drerup earned her seventeenth win of the season—placing her at number one in wins within the Big South Conference.
This victory marks USC Upstate’s fifth consecutive season achieving at least thirty wins. Additionally, it is their second straight year recording over four hundred team hits—an indicator of their standing as one of NCAA’s top offenses.
Looking ahead, USC Upstate will continue its series against Charleston Southern with a doubleheader scheduled at CSU Complex. The program will also host the 2026 Big South Softball Championship at Hawkins Field at Cyrill Stadium from May 6-9.
