GREENSBORO, NC After heading into their fifth extra inning game of the season, UNC Greensboro dropped a tough 4-3 loss to Elon at UNCG Baseball Stadium. The Phoenix held a three-run lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. Donny Jobe and Cory Harrilchak tallied a run each as both players homered out to right field. A run scored in the bottom of the sixth by the Spartans and two more tallied in the eighth tied the game at 3-3. After no change through regulation, Elon's Bennett Davis sent a high fly ball to right field. Once the ball was caught, Harry Austin got the go ahead home to score the game-winning run.
After dropping the series to Elon, UNCG falls to 26-18 overall and are now 11-7 in the Southern Conference. The Phoenix move to 33-14 on the season with a league record of 15-6.
Elon's Thomas Girdwood (4-0) took the series finale victory after 2.2 innings of work. UNCG's Kory Judd (0-2) was handed the loss after coming to the rubber midway through the ninth. Spartan starter Rob Gilliam (2-3) led both teams with five strikeouts. Reliever Alex Shelton added another four.
The UNCG lineup was led by Drew Gehringer who was 1-for-3 with a run and a double. The Phoenix were led by Donny Jobe and Cory Harrilchak who were both 1-for-3 at the plate with a home run.
The Phoenix grabbed a one-run lead in the opening inning as Cory Harrilchak slapped a solo home run over the right field wall. The hit was the team's first of the game and Harrilchak's fifth homer of the season.
Five innings later, Donny Jobe led off with a first pitch solo out to right field to up the Elon advantage. The long ball was Jobe's second of the season. Three bats later, Dallas Tarleton drove a single to up the middle to bring around Bennett Davis from second and give thePhoenix the 3-0 lead.
In the home half of the sixth, freshman Drew Gehringer stretched a double out of a shot to left center and registered UNCG's third hit of the game. Following two groundouts, Gehringer strolled across home plate to give the Spartans their first tally of the afternoon.
In the bottom half of the eighth, the Spartans knotted the game at 3-3 with the aid of the Phoenix. After reaching on a four pitch walk, senior Sean Snell raced down the third base line as Ken Ferrer's pitch got away from him and sailed towards the backstop. Down by one with two away, a runner on third, and the count full, junior Pedro Leon slapped a hard ground ball through the left sided to allow sophomore Corey Overholtzer to cross the plate and tie the game heading into the ninth.
With neither team able to post a run in the final inning, UNCG went into its fifth extra inning game of the season.
Elon's Harry Austin led off with a single to left center after stealing second, he was pushed to third by a sacrifice bunt. Two bats later, Bennett Davis sent a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Austin and give Elon the one-run lead. After taking UNCG three up, three down the Phoenix walked away with the 4-3 win and the 2-1 series victory.
UNCG's Alex Shelton (4-3) racked up four strikeouts after coming to the hill in relief of starter Rob Gilliam
UNCG will remain at home this week as they host Wake Forest, UNC Asheville, and SoCon opponent College of Charleston. The Spartans face off with the Demon Deacons on Tuesday and on Wednesday, they match up with the Bulldogs. First pitch for both games is set for 6pm at UNCG Baseball Stadium. On Friday, the Spartans begin a three game series with the Cougars from the College of Charleston. Game times are slated for 7pm on Friday, 2pm on Saturday, and 1pm on Sunday.
For news about UNCG baseball, complete season schedule, and any other information regarding Spartan athletics log onto www.UNCGSpartans.com.
# # UNCG # #
Elon 4, UNC Greensboro 3 (Apr 27, 2008 at Greensboro, N.C.)
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Elon.......................... 100 002 000 1 - 4 9 0 (33-14, 15-6 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 000 001 020 0 - 3 5 0 (26-18, 11-7 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Elon - Kenneth Ferrer; Thomas Girdwood(8).
UNC Greensboro - Rob Gilliam; Alex Shelton(6); James White(9); Kory Judd(10).
Win-Thomas Girdwood(4-0)
Loss-Kory Judd(0-2) T-2:43 A-377
HR ELON - Donny Jobe (3); Cory Harrilchak (6).
