GREENSBORO, NC UNC Greensboro got seven strong innings from starter Greg Martin as it won narrowly over Albany, 4-3, on Friday evening at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The win extended the Spartans winning streak to three games.
Martin allowed just three runs in those seven innings of work and struck out five for the Spartans (5-9) to record the win. Martin now has 19 strikeouts this season compared to just two walks.
Dave Kubiak picked up the hard-luck loss for the Great Danes (2-11) after allowing only two earned runs in six innings of action.
Albany jumped out to the early 3-0 lead thanks to a two out rally in the top of the second. After Martin induced to fly outs, Jim Banks singled down the right field line. Sean Donovan followed with a single to center to move Banks to third. Mike Tirri kept the rally going as he belted a double down the right field line to score Banks and Donovan. Pete Eichner finished the rally with a single through the right side to score Tirri and make the score 3-0.
The Spartans answered with four of their own in the bottom half of the fourth to give them the lead for good. With one down in the inning, Brent O'Berry was able to reach base on an error by the second baseman. Pedro Leon moved O'Berry to second on a single to right field. Corey Overholtzer followed with a single to left center to score O'Berry and put Leon on third. With Ray Quinones at the plate, Leon scored from third on a wild pitch to make the score 3-2. Quinones would then belt a triple to score Overholtzer and tie the game at 3. Trevor Edwards then flew out to deep left field to easily score Quinones from third and give the Spartans a lead they would never relinquish.
After that the two pitchers really settled into a groove as the two teams only combined for five hits over the next five innings.
Rob Gilliam came in for Martin at the beginning of the eighth and got the Great Danes to go down 1-2-3. After striking out the first batter in the ninth, Gilliam fell into a little trouble. Branks singled to right and Donovan belted a double to right center to put runners on second and third with only one out. Gilliam fought back as he got the next batter to strike out and the final batter to ground out to third as he picked up his first save of the season.
UNCG returns to the diamond on Saturday to play against the Great Danes in the second game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 4, Albany 3
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Albany.....................030 000 000 - 3 9 1 (2-11)
UNC Greensboro.......004 000 00X - 4 8 1 (5-9)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro Greg Martin, Rob Gilliam. Albany Dave Kubiak, Dave Noble.
Win- Greg Martin (1-3) Save Rob Gilliam (1) Loss- Dave Kubiak (0-4) T-2:16 A-343
- UNCG -
