Baseball 3/23/2008 8:00:00 PM UNCGSpartans.com

UNCG wins 17-11 to sweep the conference opener from Appalachian State

Box Score

BOONE, NC After trailing in the first two innings of Sunday afternoon's game, UNC Greensboro came out with their fourth four-run inning of the weekend to take the lead over Appalachian State. Both teams continued to tally runs, but the Spartans stayed out in front and took the eventual 17-11 victory.

On the weekend, UNCG (15-5, 3-0 SoCon) outscored ASU (11-11, 0-3 SoCon) 38-22 to take the weekend sweep and extend their win streak to seven straight. This is currently their longest win streak of the season.

The Spartans lit up the board first with back-to-back home runs in the opening inning. First baseman Ricky Orton slapped his third home run of the weekend to score shortstop Matt Gaski who have reached first after being struck by a ball just seven pitches earlier. In the next at-bat, right fielder Sean Snell hit a left field solo to give UNCG the 3-0 advantage.

Appalachian took control of the game in the bottom of the inning with a five-run rally their largest of the series with four of the five runs scored off of home runs. Brett Stewart sent a two-run shot to over the leftfield fence and David Towarnicky hit over the right field fence to score two.

A wild pitch by ASU in the second sent catcher Adam Deleo home and cut the Mountaineer lead down to one. Appalachian answered right back with a two-run homer by Jerod Faggart to up their lead to 7-4.

In the top of the third, UNCG hit two two-run doubles to notch their fourth four-run inning of the weekend to take the lead and ultimately, control of the game. Leftfielder Pedro Leon drove in two with a double to left center and centerfielder Corey Overholtzer brought in yet another two with a right field double.

The Spartans kept the Mountaineer lineup silent through the next three innings while putting up one in the fourth off of a passed ball.

UNCG combined for six more runs in the sixth and the seventh inning while holding ASU to just three. The Spartans' first four came off of three singles and a bases loaded walk. The final two were brought in thanks to a left field homer by designated hitter Greg Feltes.

The Mountaineers tallied run No. 9 in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the blue and gold came away with yet another two after a two RBI double by Feltes. ASU's Jason Altenhof's single in the bottom of the ninth brought in anther run for the Mountaineers, but it was too little too late as UNCG came away with a 17-11 victory in the weekend's final game.

UNCG's Ricky Orton was 1-for-1 with two hits, two RBI, and a two-run home run. Greg Feltes went 3-for-6 at the plate with three hits, three RBI, a home run, and a double.

Freshman pitcher Greg Smith (2-0) tabbed his second win of the season after 5.0 innings of work with two strikeouts. ASU's Jason Rook (0-3) took the loss after allowing eight runs off of four hits.

Following this weekend's series, Matt Gaski and Ricky Orton are both on a nine-game hit streak.

UNCG returns to UNCG Baseball Stadium on Tuesday when they take on the Albany Great Dane for a two-game series. Both Tuesday and Wednesday's games are set to begin at 6pm.

For news about UNCG baseball, complete season schedule, and any other information regarding Spartan athletics log onto www.UNCGSpartans.com.

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UNC Greensboro 17, Appalachian State 11 (Mar 23, 2008 at Boone, N.C.)

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UNC Greensboro...... 314 103 302 - 17 13 2 (15-5, 3-0 SoCon)

Appalachian State... 520 002 101 - 11 14 1 (11-11, 0-3 SoCon)

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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Clay Gibson; Greg Smith(1); James White(6); Wes McCall(7); Rob Gilliam(9).

Appalachian State - Rook; Edens(3); Teague(6); Rubinstein(7); Patterson(7); Ohl(9); Miller(9).

Win-Greg Smith(2-0) Loss-Rook(0-3)

HR UNCG - Greg Feltes (6); Ricky Orton (6); Sean Snell (2).

HR ASU - Stewart (3); JeFaggart 2 (2); Towarnicky (3).