CHARLESTON, SC UNC Greensboro starter Matt Gibbs allowed just three runs on four hits to lead the Spartans to a 5-3 victory over No. 27 College of Charleston in game two of a three-game Southern Conference series on Saturday evening at Patriots Point Field.
Gibbs struck out four batters in seven innings en route to his fourth win of the season. Sophomore Kory Judd recorded his second save of the year after pitching two scoreless innings of relief.
Brian Schlitter (4-4) took the loss after giving up three runs on six hits in seven innings of relief.
UNCG (26-25, 12-11 SoCon) scored two runs in the visitor half of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. Matt Gaski earned the one-out walk and scored when Ricky Orton singled up the middle. With the hit, Orton extended his hitting streak to 20 games. Rightfielder Brandon Harvey plated the Spartans second run on a two-out single to right. College of Charleston (37-14, 18-5 SoCon) added a run in the same inning on a Graham Maiden RBI groundout.
The Cougars scored the equalizer in the bottom of the third, making it 2-2. Gabe Marchant opened with a walk and he came home to score two batters later on a Spartan fielding error. The Spartans, however, capitalized on a CofC error in the sixth to take the one-run advantage.
Greg Feltes added a run in the eighth when the Rocky Ricer, OH native collected his team-leading fifth triple that scored Orton, who doubled earlier. Harvey picked up his second RBI of the evening after his sacrifice fly scored Feltes and putting the Spartans up by three. CofC cut the UNCG lead, 5-3, on a sacrifice fly by Ben Lasater but Spartan reliever Kory Judd retired the final four batters to secure the win.
Feltes finished 2-for-3 with a RBI, while Orton was 2-for-4 with a RBI to lead the Spartans behind the plate.
UNCG and CofC finish the series with a game three on Sunday at 6 pm.
AGATE
Score by Innings R H E
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UNC Greensboro...... 200 001 020 - 5 9 1
Coll. of Charleston.... 101 000 010 - 3 5 1
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Pitchers: UNCG Gibbs; Judd (8)
Pitchers: CofC Caulfield; Schlitter
Win Matt Gibbs (4-3) Save Kory Judd (2) Loss Brian Schlitter (4-4)
- UNCG -
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