HIGH POINT, NC – Patrick Currin pitched four scoreless innings in relief and UNC Greensboro scored four eighth inning runs as the Spartans bested High Point 8-7 Tuesday afternoon at George S. Erath Field on the High Point campus.
With the win, the Spartans (1-3, 0-0 SoCon) won their eighth consecutive game against their in-state rivals and claimed their first win of the season after dropping three games at Georgia over the weekend.
The Spartans, who trailed the majority of the game, erupted for four runs in the top of the eight to seize a one run lead. Mike Mongiello started the rally with a double to left and Brandon Harvey followed with a single to left to put runners on the corners with just one out. Logan Smith then reached on an error at third, driving in Mongiello and collecting his third RBI of the day in the process.
Greg Matson then tied the game at seven runs apiece when he smacked a double to left field to score both Smith and Harvey. Jermaine Mitchell struck next, putting UNCG out in front for good as the Daingerfield, TX native smoked a single to left to score Matson.
Currin (1-1), who earned his first win of the season, made short work of the Panthers in the ninth as he allowed just a single with two outs already recorded. He finished the game allowing just two hits in his four innings on the hill.
UNCG grabbed an early two run lead in the top half of the third when the Spartans capitalized on three Panther errors. Harvey opened the frame by reaching on an error by the shortstop and later made it to second on a failed pickoff attempt by High Point starting pitcher Matt Christie. Smith plated Harvey with a single and then advanced to second base on an error by center fielder Ryan Laboy. Mitchell produced the next run as he singled to left to plate Harvey from second.
High Point quickly regained the lead in their half of the third as UNCG committed three errors leading to five Panther runs. After UNCG scored a run in the fourth on an RBI single from Harvey, High Point scored runs in the fourth and fifth to stretch its lead to 7-3.
Smith collected another RBI in the sixth as the Charlotte, NC product singled home Mongiello on a hit through the right side before the Spartans mounted their eighth inning comeback.
Chris Marks (2-1) suffered the loss after failing to record an out in the eighth inning. The right-hander finished the game allowing two runs on two hits.
Smith led UNCG with a 2-for-3 with three RBI afternoon at the plate. Mitchell, Mongiello and Harvey each had two hits for the Spartans. Chris Norwood and Dustin Holtzman each had three hits for the Panthers.
UNCG returns to action Friday evening when the Spartans travel to College Station, TX to take part in the Domino's Pizza Aggie Classic hosted by Texas A&M. The Spartans open the event with an 8 p.m. matchup with the host Aggies before later taking on Missouri State and Utah.
AGATE:
UNC Greensboro 8, High Point 7 (Feb 21, 2006 at High Point, NC)
UNC Greensboro...... 002 101 040 - 8 11 3 (1-3)
High Point.......... 005 110 000 - 7 13 4 (5-6)
Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Wes McCall; Clinton McKinney(3); Nick Starnes(4); Patrick Currin(6).
High Point - CHRISTIE, Matt; ZUPAN, Zach(7); MARKS, Chris(8); O'DONNELL, Bubba(8).
Win- Patrick Currin(1-1) Loss- MARKS, Chris(2-1) T-2:59 A-111
- UNCG -
