State scoreboard, Thursday, May 18

John Michael Faile's walk-off homer
gave him an NCAA Division II
record 76 for his career. (NGU photo)

Player of the day: John Michael Faile, North Greenville, game-winning 3-run homer

Briefly: Cole Caruso's grand slam highlighted an eight-run eighth inning and USC Upstate took the opener of a Big South Conference series with Campbell. The Spartans pulled within a game of Campbell with two games remaining. A pair of homers by Lawson Harrill gave the ninth-ranked Camels a 4-1 lead. Grand Sherrod's two-run homer pulled the Spartans within two, a sacrifice fly tied the score and as the inning continued Caruso got his big knock ... Blake Wright homered twice and drove in five runs as Clemson hammered North Carolina in the opener of the final ACC series of the season,,,,  Northeastern scored four runs in the first inning and never trailed in beating College of Charleston. UNCW's win over William & Mary later Thursday eliminated the Cougars from the CAA regular-season  championship picture ... Brody Hopkins homered to lead off the game and pitched five innings to get the win as Winthrop improved its prospects of qualifying for the Big South Conference Tournament ... Dalton Reeves hit two three-run homers in a 12-run ninth inning as Presbyterian took the opener of its final series of the season ... A sixth-inning triple produced the game's lone run as Gardner-Webb dealt Charleston Southern's Big South Tournament hopes a setback. The Buccaneers must win the final two games of the series to have a chance of making the tournament.

NCAA Division II Southeast Regional
Tigerville
* North Greenville 6, Georgia Southwestern 5 - John Michael Faile became NCAA Division II's career home run leader with a three-run walk-off blast to eliminate Georgia Southwestern and keep the Crusaders out of the losers' bracket.  It was Faile's 76th career homer, moving him out of a tie with Haydn McGeary of Colorado Mesa. The Crusaders fell behind 4-0 early, but  rallied to within 5-3 going into the bottom of the ninth. North Greenville plays Mount Olive - which beat Georgia Southwestern 5-4 earlier in the day - on Friday in what becomes a best-of-three series for a spot in the regional finals. There will be one or two games on Saturday.

Newberry

* Newberry 12, UNC Pembroke 3 - Rhett Jolly drove in four runs as the Wolves won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in program history. The 42nd win of the season also set a school record. Newberry's next game is at 7 p.m. Friday.

Clemson 14, North Carolina 7 - Cle: Billy Amick 4-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI

Gardner-Webb 1, Charleston Southern 0 - Cha: Ike George 1B, BB

Northeastern 9, College of Charleston 2 - Cha: Joseph Mershon 1B, 2B, R
Presbyterian 17, Longwood 3 - PC: Duncan Howard, W, 7 IP, 9 K 

USC Upstate 9, Campbell 4 - Up: Grant Sherrod 4-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI 
Winthrop 3, Longwood 2 - Win: Josh Bookbinder S, 4 IP, 1 H, 4 K

NCAA Division II Southeast Regional
Double-elimination
Smith Road Complex, Newberry

Newberry 12,  UNC Pembroke 3 - New: Bennett Roemer W, 6 IP, 3 R, 7 

Belmont Abbey vs. Columbus State, ppd. to noon Friday

Ray and Bea Dillard Field, Tigerville
Mount Olive 5, Georgia Southwestern 4
North Greenville 6, Georgia Southwestern 5 - Nor: David Lewis 1B, HR. BB 

Postponed

Marshall at Coastal Carolina, no makeup announced
Tennessee at South Carolina to part of 2 p.m. Saturday DH
Wofford at The Citadel, to part of 10 a.m. Friday DH

(8/1368)