Butler powers Samford past UNCG in rubber match
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Samford's Saxon Butler went 4-5 with two home runs and Josh Martin pitched seven strong innings as Samford downed UNCG, 10-1, on Sunday afternoon at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Samford (11-5, 2-1 SoCon) scored in each of the first four innings, including six in the fourth inning.
In his second at-bat of the afternoon, Butler connected with his second blast of the day to make it, 3-0, in the top of the third inning.
The Bulldogs put the game out of reach after Samfords' Zeth Stone scored Corbin with a sacrifice fly to start the scoring in the fourth. Brad Moss then stepped up to the plate and delivered a two-run double down the left field line to make it a 6-0 game.
Butler kept it going for Samford as he struck for the third time on the afternoon with an RBI single, and Phillip Ervin followed with a two-run double to put the Bulldogs up, 10-0.
After an unearned run crossed in the top of the sixth for the Bulldogs, UNCG (10-5, 1-2 SoCon) got on the scoreboard after an RBI double by Thomas Troelstrup that scored Cole Harrison and cut the deficit to 10-1.
Samford starter Josh Martin (4-0) pitched seven innings of four-hit ball with a walk and a strikeout and ended the afternoon right under the century mark, with 99 pitches.
The Spartans welcome No. 6 North Carolina on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
Samford 10, UNCG 1
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Samford............. 111 601 000 - 10 13 1 (11-5, 2-1)
UNCG................ 000 001 000 - 1 5 1 (10-5, 1-2)
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Pitchers: Samford - Josh Martin; Arthur Strauss(8); C.K. Irby(9) and Brad Moss. UNCG-Max Povse; Dylan Hathcock(4); Brennen James(5); Jonathan Jones(7); Zach Furl(9) and Trevor Edwards.
Win-Josh Martin(4-0) Loss-Max Povse(1-2) T-2:17 A-213
HR SAM - Saxon Butler 2.
Weather: 56 and sunny
- UNCG -