GREENVILLE, SC UNC Greensboro jumped out to a 6-3 lead and held on to defeat Furman, 6-5, in the season finale for the Spartans on Saturday afternoon at Latham Stadium.
Greg Smith picked up his fourth win of the season for the Spartans (20-29, 7-21 SoCon) after pitching 5 2/3 innings. Warren Slack picked up his first career save after going the final 3 1/3 innings and allowing only two hits.
Barry Benton was credited with his seventh loss of the year after giving up three runs on nine hits in only 3 2/3 innings for the Paladins (22-29, 10-20 SoCon).
After a 38 minute rain delay, Corey Overholtzer delivered a single to right field in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games which broke a team-high this season.
Furman took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Marcus Rose led off the inning with a single to centerfield. After stealing second, he moved to third and then scored on a pair of groundouts to put Furman ahead, 1-0.
The Spartans responded in the top of the second with a pair of runs to go ahead, 2-1. With two outs in the inning, Brad Raynor singled to left field and Kris Richards followed with a walk. Drew Gehringer then hit a RBI single up the middle to score Raynor and Brent O'Berry followed suit and hit an RBI single of his own to score Richards.
UNCG added another run in the top of the third inning after Ray Quinones led off with a walk and Rob Gilliam followed with a double to left field. Quinones scored later in the inning on a groundout to put the Spartans ahead, 3-1.
The Paladins rallied to tie the game at 3 in the bottom of the third thanks to a pair of singles to lead off the inning. Brian Harrison then delivered an RBI single to left field and added another later in the inning on a sacrifice fly.
The Spartans put three runs on the board in the top of the fifth inning to hop out to a 6-3 lead. With one out in the inning, Raymond Frias and Raynor hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. After a Spartans strikeout, Gehringer delivered a double to left field to score Frias from second. O'Berry then delivered the game-winning two-run single to give UNCG a 6-3 lead.
Furman scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Spartans lead down to 6-5. Connor Lind had a RBI single and Rose had a RBI double in the inning, but that was as close that the Paladins would get all afternoon.
The Paladins threatened one final time in the eighth inning when Andrew Cadger hit a leadoff double. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Slack stranded him there after getting a strikeout and groundout to end the inning.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 6, Furman 5
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UNC Greensboro........021 030 000 - 6 16 1 (19-29)
Furman.....................102 002 000 - 5 11 0 (22-28)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro Greg Smith, Warren Slack. Furman Barry Benton, J.P. Goldsberry, J.B. Jenkins, Stephen Gary, Spencer Hale, Nick Karow.
Win- Greg Smith (4-8) Save- Warren Slack (1) Loss- Barry Benton (2-7) T-3:11 A-271
- UNCG -
