GREENSBORO, NC – Starting pitcher Nick Starnes struck out a career-high 12 batters en route to his fourth win of the season as UNC Greensboro defeated Davidson 5-3 Friday evening at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Starnes (4-1), a junior from Haw River, NC, allowed three runs on seven hits in 7-2/3 innings on the hill. Patrick Currin pitched the final 1-1/3 innings to earn his fifth save of the season.
Wildcat starting hurler Blake Osborn (3-5) took the loss after surrendering five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out two in 6-2/3 innings of work.
Davidson (12-22, 2-11 SoCon) struck for two runs in the top of the first inning to grab an early 2-0 advantage. Ronnie Shore led off the inning with a sharp single off the foot of Starnes before stealing second base. Starnes retired the next two hitters, but first baseman Gregory Zage delivered a two-run home run over the rightfield wall to collect his team-leading seventh roundtripper of the season.
UNCG (15-21, 5-5 SoCon) played long ball in the home half of the second to tie the game at two runs apiece. Wes McCall led off with a single to centerfield, before David Adams hit a two-run homer just over the leftfield wall for his first four-bagger of the season.
Sean Snell gave the Spartans a 3-2 lead and extended his hitting streak to 12 games in the process with a single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth. David Adams reached earlier with his second hit of the game with a two-out double to right center and advanced to third on a pass ball before Snell recorded his sixth RBI of the season.
Brett Shore tied the game at three runs apiece for the Wildcats in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI single up the middle. Hugh Eden reached base on a bunt single and advanced to second base on a throwing error on the Spartan infield to start the rally.
The Spartans took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh as UNCG capitalized on a Davidson error in the outfield. After the Spartans loaded the bases with two outs, Guy Welsh lifted a fly ball into shallow rightfield that Blake Osborn juggled and then dropped, allowing Adam Deleo and Greg Feltes to score.
Senior shortstop David Adams paced the Spartans at the plate as the Statesville, NC native went 3-for-4 with two RBI on the evening and fell a triple shy of the cycle.
UNCG and Davidson continue a three-game series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. from UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE:
UNC Greensboro 5, Davidson 3 (Apr 14, 2006 at Greensboro, NC)
Davidson............ 200 010 000 - 3 7 2 (12-22, 2-11)
UNC Greensboro...... 020 100 20X - 5 9 1 (15-21, 5-5)
Pitchers: Davidson - Blake Osborn; Alden Crissey(7); Rob Shenk(7). UNC Greensboro - Nick Starnes; Patrick Currin(8).
Win-Nick Starnes(4-1) Save-Patrick Currin(5) Loss-Blake Osborn(3-5) T-2:26 A-344
HR DAV - Gregory Zage.
HR UNCG - David Adams.
Crissey faced 1 batter in the 7th.
- UNCG -
