GREENSBORO, NC – Will Stembridge's RBI bunt single in the top of the ninth inning lifted Furman to a 5-4 win over UNC Greensboro in Southern Conference baseball action Friday evening from UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Case Cassedy reached base in the inning with a one-out double to left-centerfield and advanced to third one batter later on a pass ball. Stembridge then stepped to the plate and took the first pitch for a ball before laying down a perfectly placed bunt in no man's land, and beat pitcher Wes McCall's throw at first base by a step, allowing Cassedy to score easily with the go ahead run.
The Spartans put the game tying run on in the bottom of the ninth, but were unable to plate him to tie the game. David Adams led off with a sharp single through the left side and then stole second three pitches later. One batter later, Adams advanced to third on a pass ball, but was stranded there after a groundout to the right side and a shallow pop to centerfield to end the game.
UNCG (17-26, 6-10 SoCon) took an early 1-0 lead after the Spartans put together three straight singles in the bottom of the first to tally the game's first run. David Adams started things off with a one-out single to centerfield before Jermaine Mitchell followed with a single through the right side to put runners on first and second. Guy Welsh put the Spartans on the board when the Tucson, AZ native deposited the first pitch he saw right back up the middle to score Adams from second for his team-leading 30th RBI of the season.
Furman (27-12, 13-3) took a two run lead after scoring three runs with two outs in the top of the third. After UNCG starting pitcher Nick Starnes walked Tony Maccani to start the inning, he then retired the next two batters with relative ease before leadoff hitter Ben Terry reached with a single to leftfield. Andrew Greene then reached base with a bunt single to Starnes before Case Cassedy produced an RBI single through the left side. A.J. Daviduk capped the inning with a bloop single into shallow rightfield that plated another two Paladins.
The Paladins tacked on another run in the top of the fourth to take a 4-1 advantage when Terry smoked a pitch directly off Starnes' leg, plating Maccani and chasing Starnes from the contest.
Welsh struck again in the bottom of the seventh inning as he tallied another two RBIs to leave the Spartans trailing by just a run. Logan Smith started the rally with a one-out double to leftfield before Greg Feltes walked to put a pair of runners on. Adams followed with a single that found its way into left-centerfield before Welsh laced a single through the left side to make the 4-3 in favor of the visitors.
The Spartans plated the equalizer an inning later when Feltes delivered a two-out single through the left side that scored Harvey from second base. Harvey opened the inning with a single to rightfield for his second hit of the evening.
Nick Hollstegee (1-0) earned his first win of the season after allowing no runs on two hits in 1-1/3 innings of work. Starter Matt Klinker picked up a no decision after allowing just one run on six hits in six innings on the hill.
Clay Gibson (2-2) took the tough luck loss after allowing one run on one hit in 2/3 on the hill.
Welsh led the Spartans at the plate after going 3-for-4 with three RBI while Adams also added three hits.
UNCG and Furman continue a three-game series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. from UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE:
Furman 5, UNC Greensboro 4 (Apr 28, 2006 at Greensboro, NC)
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Furman.............. 003 100 001 - 5 12 0 (27-12, 13-3)
UNC Greensboro...... 100 000 210 - 4 12 0 (17-26, 6-10)
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Pitchers: Furman - Matt Klinker; Ryan Hodinka(7); Patrick Arnett(7); David Mitchell(8);
Nick Hollstegge(8). UNC Greensboro - Nick Starnes; Clinton McKinney(4); Clay Gibson(8);
Jonathan Nichols(9); Wes McCall(9); Patrick Currin(9).
Win-Nick Hollstegge(1-0) Loss-Clay Gibson(2-2) T-3:03 A-326
McCall faced 1 batter in the 9th.
- UNCG -
