SPARTANSBURG, S.C. (Feb. 21, 2026)--Morgan State closed out Saturday's Upstate Classic with a 7-1 non-conference loss to host University of South Carolina Upstate at Cyrill Stadium.
 
Hunter Newman went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double to lead Morgan State (0-4). Olivia Garner finished 1-for-3 and scored the Lady Bears' lone run.
 
USC Upstate, which improved to 9-2 with the victory, was paced by Ella Christopher, who went 3-for-4 at the plate with three doubles and drove in a game-high 4 RBI. Mackenzei Bernal also was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Abby Polk finished 2-for-4 and scored two runs to help the Spartans.
 
The Spartans got the scoring started with two runs in the first when Christopher doubled to left center driving in Polk and Bernal. Upstate added a run in the second and third to increase the lead to 4-0.
 
Upstate ended its scoring, adding three more runs in the fourth inning. Laney Jennings singled to first base to score Polk, and Christopher later doubled to drive in Jennings and Bernal to extend the Spartans' cushion to 7-0.
 
The Lady Bears got on the board in the top of the sixth inning when Rylee Hyde singled to score Garner.
 
The Spartans finished the game scoring seven runs on 14 hits and had 7 RBI, while Morgan State totaled a run on six hits and an RBI.
 
Serena Rodriguez (0-2) went the distance for Morgan State, pitching six innings and striking out one batter.
 
The Spartans' Chloe Poteete got the win and improved to 3-0 on the young season. Poteete surrendered three hits and three walks, while striking out four batters in five innings of work. Ashlyn Brown came in relief and earned the save after allowing one run on three hits and striking out one in two innings pitched.
 
Morgan State will close out the Upstate Classic on Sunday morning, when it takes on Harvard at 11 a.m. at Cyrill Stadium.
 

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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.