Baseball 5/10/2008 8:00:00 PM UNCGSpartans.com

UNCG falls to Georgia Southern in conference doubleheader

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

STATESBORO, GA UNC Greensboro dropped both ends of a Saturday, Southern Conference doubleheader after giving up a total of 30 runs to Georgia Southern at JI Clements Stadium. A pair of grand slams in game one pushed the Eagles ahead of UNCG, 20-6, and the Spartans lost a close 10-9 decision in game two after putting up a game high four runs in the final inning.

With the addition of the Friday night loss, UNCG fell victim to its first conference sweep of the season. The last time the Spartans suffered a three-game conference loss was in 2006 when they fell in three for the first time against the Eagles in Statesboro. UNCG is now 30-23 with a 14-10 mark in the conference. Georgia Southern moved to 31-20 with a 15-9 record in the league.

In game one, GSU's Jeremiah Parker and A.J. Wirnsberger combined for eight runs with back-to-back grand slam innings. Parker tallied the team's fifth slam of the season in the sixth to set a new conference season record and Wirnsberger added his in the bottom half of the seventh.

The second game of the evening came down to the wire after UNCG closed in on the Eagles with a ninth inning, two out, four-run rally. After trailing through four and a half without a hit, GSU took a five-run lead heading in to the seventh. Two runs by UNCG cut the lead to 8-5, but the Eagles answered back with two of their own in the bottom of the eighth. Down by five, the Spartans were able to bring in four with two coming in off of a Logan Smith double to left field. Back-to-back singles and a wild pitch put the winning run on second, but the Spartans were shutdown as Georgia Southern recorded the third out to come away with the 10-9 victory.

The game one victory went to the Eagles' Drew Murray (8-1). In his 7.0 innings on the mound he struck out five and held UNCG to just two runs. Spartan starter Greg Martin (6-3) took the loss after 5.1 innings on the hill. Andy Moye (3-4) was credited with the win in the second game after allowing just three runs off of five hits and striking out seven. After 4.1 innings on the rubber, senior Wes McCall (1-6) was handed the loss for the Spartans.

At the plate in game one, senior second baseman Tim Carrier was 2-for-4 with four RBI, a run and a home run. GSU's Jeremiah Parker hit 4-for-4 with seven RBI, five runs, a grand slam and a three-run home run. Game two was led by sophomore centerfielder Corey Overholtzer and senior third baseman Logan Smith. Both players were 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI, a run, and a double. Senior catcher Sean Snell was also 2-for-5; he added an RBI, a run, and a stolen base.

With two away in game one's first, Chris Shehan got things started as he belted a solo over the left field to give Georgia Southern the early one-run lead. Three outs later, the Eagles posted a four-run inning off of a scattering of four hits to jump ahead, 5-0.

Georgia Southern bumped themselves up by one more in the third before Jeremiah Parker sent a three-run shot over the left field wall to give the Eagles a 9-0 advantage.

In the fifth, UNCG registered their first hit and their first run of the evening. Sean Snell drove his 18th double of the season into left center to put him in scoring position. Two bats later, senior catcher Adam Deleo dropped in a left field single to bring in Snell and put the Spartans up on the board.

In the sixth, senior shortstop Matt Gaski slapped a two-bagger into right center to get things started. The double was his 9th of the season and it extended his hit streak to nine. Three bats later, Tim Carrier dropped a single into left center allowing Gaski to come in from second and cut the lead down to seven.

In the home half of the inning, the Eagles drove in five runs off of just two hits a grand slam by Parker and a solo off the bat of A.J. Wirnsberger. Parker's rocket out to right field was his second homer of the game making it the 4th time he has hit dual home runs in a single game. Not only was the grand slam his first of the season, but it was the team's 5th.

Wirnsberger homered for a second time in the seventh inning. This time his out of the park hit brought in three others as he hit his third grand slam of the season and his career.

The Spartans put up their largest rally of the game with three runs scored in the top of the eighth off of a home run by Carrier. With runners on the corners, the Irvine, CA native powered one up the middle and over the centerfield wall for his fourth homer of the season.

The Eagles scored twice more in the eighth to put the score at 20-5. UNCG brought one in to top the ninth, but again one was not enough as Georgia Southern came away with game one of the doubleheader and game two of the series, 20-6.

In the second game of the evening, UNCG held a 3-0 lead before the Eagles could register their first mark on the board other than an error. In the first, Corey Overholtzer slapped a two-run double into centerfield to bring senior left fielder Greg Feltes in from third and senior first baseman Ricky Orton in from second.

In the fourth, the Spartans tacked on another as Overholtzer was plated off of a left side single by Sean Snell. This time the Eagles fought back scoring their first run off of a sacrifice fly to right field.

UNCG's 3-1 lead was taken away in the home half of the sixth as the Eagles recorded four runs off of two singles, a double and a sacrifice fly. With the newfound lead, Georgia Southern put up three more in the sixth off of a single, a double, and a UNCG fielding error.

The blue and gold chipped away at the lead with two runs in the seventh. Snell crossed safely after Georgia Southern's pitcher muffled a force-out throw to home. Then a combination of three walks and a fielder's choice brought in Feltes to put the score at 8-5.

The Eagles followed with two more of their own to close out the eighth. Both runs were scored as Chris Shehan sent a single through the left side.

Down 10-5, the Spartans posted their first four-run inning of the series in their final at-bat. Feltes led off with a solo home run high over the left field wall; his 12th of the season. A pair of singles by Carrier and junior Pedro Leon set the table for a Logan Smith to drop a double into left field. In the next at-bat, redshirt sophomore Ed Jayjack plated Smith with his own hit into left field. Another left field single by Snell put the tying run at second, but the rally came too late as the Eagles captured the third out and took game two, 10-9.

UNCG will return home for a three game midweek conference series with Davidson. The series begins on Wednesday with a 6pm first pitch, the teams will return Thursday for another 6pm game, and on Friday, both the Spartans and the Wildcats will close out the regular season with a final 6pm game.

2008 Southern Conference Baseball Tournament action will get underway Tuesday, May 20 in Charleston, SC. For complete tournament information visit www.SoConSports.com.

For more news on UNCG baseball, ticket prices, a complete season schedule, and all other Spartan athletic information log onto www.UNCGSpartans.com

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Georgia Southern 20, UNC Greensboro 6 (May 10, 2008 at Statesboro, GA) (Game 1)