GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro won its seventh consecutive home opener as the Spartans bested Kent State, 6-1, in baseball action Friday evening at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Junior right-hander Nick Starnes (2-0) picked up his second consecutive win of the season after allowing just one run on four hits while striking out four and walking but one in six inning of mound duty. In his last two appearances, the Haw River, NC native has surrendered just one run and five hits.
Senior Patrick Currin pitched 2/2-3 of scoreless work on the hill to earn his first save of the season. The Chapel Hill, NC didn't allow a hit and struck out four batters in the process.
Chad Wagler (2-2) suffered the loss for the Golden Flashes as the righty gave up four runs on six hits in seven innings on the hill. Prior to today's game, Wagler had allowed just two earned runs for an 0.86 earned run average.
Junior Jermaine Mitchell gave UNCG an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as he extended his hitting streak to eight games with an opposite field home run to leftfield. Kent State played long ball to even the contest at one run apiece in the fifth inning when catcher Will Vazquez smacked a solo roundtripper of his own to left centerfield.
UNCG (4-10) stuck for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to regain the lead and take a 4-1 advantage. Sophomore Greg Feltes led off the frame by reaching base after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a single to left from Guy Welsh. Designated hitter Logan Smith plated both runners when he laced a double to left centerfield. After advancing to third on a groundout, Smith scored the final run of the inning when Jared Humphreys misplayed a fly ball in rightfield off the bat of Adam Deleo.
The Spartans essentially put the game out of reach in the home half of the eighth to take a 6-1 lead. Mitchell led of with a double down the leftfield line and advance to third on a pass ball before Welsh plated him with his team-leading 11th RBI of the season. Shane Thompson, who entered the game as a pinch runner for Welsh, later scored the second run of the inning on a throwing error charged to Kent State shortstop Emmanuel Burris.
Brandon Harvey led UNCG at the plate with a 3-for-4 showing at the dish. Mitchell and Welsh each chipped in with a pair of hits as well. Vasquez paced Kent State, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.
UNCG and Kent State continue a three-game series Saturday afternoon when the two clubs meet a 1 p.m. from UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE:
UNC Greensboro 6, Kent State 1 (Mar 10, 2006 at Greensboro, NC)
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Kent State.......... 000 010 000 - 1 5 2 (5-5)
UNC Greensboro...... 100 003 02X - 6 8 1 (4-10)
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Pitchers: Kent State - Wagler; Seelman(8). UNC Greensboro - Nick Starnes; Jonathan Nichols(7); Patrick Currin(7).
Win-Nick Starnes(2-0) Save-Patrick Currin(1) Loss-Wagler(2-2) T-2:21 A-223
HR KSU - Vazquez.
HR UNCG - Jermaine Mitchell.
- UNCG -
