GREENSBORO, NC UNC Asheville used three big innings to take a 12-9 win over UNC Greensboro in a game that saw a hour and 46 minute rain delay on Wednesday night at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
UNC Asheville (20-26) took an early 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Cameron Duckworth in the top of the second and in the following inning, the Bulldogs added three more runs to jump out to a four-run advantage. David Williams singled through the left side to score lead-off batter Kevin Mattison. Two batters later and with the bases loaded, Kyle Smith laced a single to center to score two, giving Asheville a 4-0 lead.
UNCG (27-26) struck for a run in the same inning to cut the Bulldog lead to three. With the bases loaded and one out, junior Matt Gaski plated Logan Smith on an infield groundout.
The Bulldogs quickly responded with another three-run inning in the fourth. Steve Burnich led-off with a walk and Mattison followed with his sixth home run of the season over the rightfield wall. Williams picked up another RBI with a two-bagger to left-center, putting the Bulldogs up 7-1.
Asheville extended its lead, 11-1, with four runs in the fifth highlighted by a lead-off roundtripper by Duckworth. UNCG pushed across three runs in the same inning to close in on the Bulldogs. With the bases loaded and two outs, junior Adam Deleo connected on a bases-clearing double to left-center.
Greg Feltes picked up the Spartans' fifth run of the game in the sixth inning as the Rocky River, OH native collected his team-leading 42nd RBI of the season. Junior Sean Snell sent a single to left and Ed Jayjack walked before Feltes laced a single through the right side.
After an hour and 46 minute rain delay, Elliott Arrington recorded a RBI double in the seventh to give Asheville a 12-5 lead. The Spartans, however, used a four-run eighth to come within three.
Pitcher Kory Judd started the Spartan scoring when he was plated by a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Ricky Orton followed with a two RBI double to left-center and Brandon Harvey scored Orton on a single up the middle. Bulldog reliever Ben Buchanan, however, went on to retire the final three Spartans in the ninth to earn his seventh save of the season.
Asheville's Graham Baughn (6-5) earned the win after pitching three innings and giving up just one run on three hits on a scheduled staff day. Buchanan pitched a scoreless and hitless inning of relieve to earn the save.
UNCG starter Clay Gibson (2-2) took the loss after allowing three runs on five hits in 2-1/3 innings of work.
Each of the Bulldog starters recorded at least one hit on the evening. Leftfielder Rob Vernon finished 2-for-5 and broke UNC Asheville's single season hits record.
Feltes finished 3-for-5 with a RBI, while Orton and Harvey each went 2-for-4 for the Spartans.
UNCG closes out the regular season when it hosts Appalachian State in a three-game series beginning Thursday at 6 pm.
AGATE
Score by Innings R H E
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UNC Asheville....... 013 340 100 - 12 18 1
UNC Greensboro...... 001 031 040 - 9 12 3
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Pitchers: UNCG Gibson; Martin, G. (3); McCall (4); Harvey (5); Gilliam (7); Judd (8)
Pitchers: UNCA Baughn; Dorsett (4); Bogaert (4); Lett (6); Weller (7); Dalby (8); Buchanan (9)
Win Graham Baughn (6-5) Save Ben Buchanan (7) Loss Clay Gibson (2-2)
- UNCG -
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