GREENSBORO, NC Junior Corey Overholtzer went 3-5, including a game-winning two-run single up the bottom of the eighth inning, to help send the Spartan seniors off in style as they defeated UNC Asheville, 7-6, on Wednesday evening at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. Seniors Adam Daufeldt, Pedro Leon and Greg Martin were honored in a special presentation before the game started.
Warren Slack picked up the win to move to a perfect 4-0 for the Spartans (18-28) this season after allowing only one run in the final 2 1/3 innings. Overholtzer led UNCG at the plate with a pair of singles and tied the SoCon lead with his sixth triple of the season to go along with his two RBI and two runs scored.
Asheville reliever Grier Harrington was credited with just his first loss of the season after allowing two runs in his only inning of work for the Bulldogs (8-40).
With the game knotted at five headed into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Spartans loaded the bases before Overholtzer delivered his two-run single. Trevor Edwards led off the inning with a single to right field before Eric Temple came in to run for him and subsequently stole second. Michael Wall then reached base on a bunt single to put runners on the corners. After a pair of Spartan strikeouts, Brent O'Berry walked to load the bases to set the table for Overholtzer. Overholtzer hit a chopper up the middle on the first pitch he saw to give UNCG a 7-5 lead.
The Bulldogs refused to go down without and fight and made things quite interesting in the top half of the ninth inning. Derrick Hopkins and Kevin Weidenbacher hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning and Jordan Lurie loaded the bases with no outs after reaching on a fielder's choice. Slack then got Justin Schumer to ground into a double play as the Spartans conceded a run before getting Danny Baatz to ground out to second base to end the game.
The Spartans got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning when Corey Overholtzer singled to the shortstop and scored later in the inning on Ray Quinones' sacrifice fly to right field.
Asheville came thundering back as they took a 5-1 lead in the top of the second inning on a two-out rally. Cody Buch hit a double to left field with two down and Austin Graham followed with a home run over the left field wall to put the Bulldogs ahead, 2-1. The Bulldogs went on to load the bases later in the inning and score three more runs, highlighted by Lurie's two-run single to center field.
UNCG began to chip away at the Bulldogs lead by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom half of the third. Alex Frederick led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error and O'Berry followed with a single through the right side of the infield. Frederick scored later in the inning on a wild pitch and O'Berry made the score 5-3 when he scored on Quinones' groundout to the shortstop.
The Spartans were able to make it a one-run game in the bottom of the sixth when Drew Gehringer singled with one out. Edwards followed with a double to deep center to score Gehringer from first and make it a 5-4 game.
UNCG tied the game in the bottom of the seventh thanks to Overholtzer's triple down the right field line. He scored one batter later on Leon's sacrifice fly to center field.
The Spartans hit the road this weekend as they wrap up the regular season with a three-game series against Furman. The Spartans and the Paladins will kick off the series on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Latham Stadium.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 7, UNC Asheville 6
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UNC Asheville.......... 050 000 001 - 6 10 3 (8-40)
UNC Greensboro.......102 001 12X - 7 12 2 (18-28)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro Blake Hassebrock, Greg Smith, Warren Slack. UNC Asheville Taylor Wohlwend, Michael Bogaert, Grier Harrington.
Win- Warren Slack (4-0) Loss- Grier Harrington (2-1) T-2:54 A-356
HR: UNC Asheville: Austin Graham (2)
- UNCG -
