GREENSBORO, NC – Western Carolina starter Tyler Sexton gave up just one run on six hits in seven innings of work as the Catamounts defeated UNC Greensboro, 5-3, on Friday night in game one of a three-game Southern Conference series at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Sexton (6-0) struck out five batters for the Catamounts in the win. Closer Greg Holland gave up just one run and one hit in two innings of work.
Ryan Falcon (3-6) took the loss after giving up two runs on five hits in 7-1/3 innings on the mound. The senior from Rougemont, NC struck out five batters in the game.
Johnson finished 2-for-3 from behind the plate, while Welsh and Orton each recorded a RBI for the Spartans.
UNCG (17-17-0, 5-5-0 SoCon) grabbed the early 1-0 in the home half of the third. Junior Joel Johnson reached on a single to left field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Tim Carrier. Two batters later, Guy Welsh singled up the middle to bring Johnson home.
Western Carolina (22-11-0, 7-3-0 SoCon) tied up the game in the top of the sixth. Brent Greer hit his first career home run over the right-center wall to tie the game at 1-1. The Catamounts took the lead in the eighth after Barrett Shaft sent a RBI double to center. Jonathan Greene drove in another run in the inning to give WCU the 3-1 advantage.
The Spartans had a chance to put runs on the board in the bottom of the eighth. With bases loaded and one out, the Catamounts were able to close out the inning with an infield fly and a rundown at third. WCU added two insurance runs in the ninth on a RBI triple from Steven Strausbaugh and a Spartan error.
Ricky Orton drove in Brandon Harvey in the ninth on a double down the rightfield line but the Spartans could not get any closer as Holland retired the final two UNCG batters to record his seventh save of the season.
The two teams finish up the three-game series on Saturday in a doubleheader beginning at 11 am at UNCG Baseball Stadium. Follow the two games with Spartan All-Access and Live Stats.
AGATE
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Western Carolina..... 000 001 022 - 5 8 1
UNC Greensboro...... 001 000 001 - 2 7 2
-------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UNCG – Falcon; McKinney (8)
Pitchers: WCU – Sexton; Holland (8)
Win-Tyler Sexton (6-0) Loss-Ryan Falcon (3-6)
- UNCG -
