GREENSBORO, NC Western Carolina completed the three-game sweep against UNC Greensboro on Sunday afternoon, 9-4, behind Stephen Notaro's four RBI at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Western Carolina starter Mike Tavernier picked up his fifth win of the season for the Catamounts (30-17, 16-7 SoCon) after giving up four runs (one earned) in five innings of work. Notaro continued his hot streak this weekend with a 2-4 outing on Sunday with four RBI and a run scored.
Spartan starter Alex Shelton was credited with the loss for UNCG (16-26, 4-18 SoCon) after allowing four runs in 2 1/3 innings.
The Spartans were able to take the early lead 1-0 on three consecutive singles in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Drew Gehringer hit a single to the second baseman and Corey Overholtzer followed with a bunt single down the third base line. Pedro Leon then hit a single up the middle to score Gehringer from second to give the Spartans the lead.
Western Carolina responded in the top of the second with two runs to take the lead it would never relinquish. With two outs in the inning, Brent Greer doubled to left center and J.C. Lyons followed with a towering shot over the wall in left center to put the Catamounts ahead, 2-1.
The Catamounts added two more runs in the third inning to stretch their lead to 4-1 when Ross Heffley singled to left field and Greer followed with a double to center field to put runners on second and third with one out. Heffley scored later in the inning on Notaro's sacrifice fly and Greer scored on an RBI single.
It appeared as if the Spartans would get out of the fifth inning but Greer reached on a Spartan error to continue the inning. Notaro made the Spartans pay as he followed with a two-run home run over the wall in left center to put Western Carolina ahead, 6-1.
The Spartans rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 6-4. With two outs in the inning, Overholtzer was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Leon followed by reaching on a fielding error by the third baseman and reached second on a passed ball. Ray Quinones then hit a single to right field to score Overholtzer and Leon. Rob Gilliam then followed with his second double of the afternoon to score Quinones.
After tacking on one more run in the seventh, the Catamounts added two more in the ninth inning. Nick Liles hit a solo shot to left center with one out in the inning and Heffley followed with a double to left field, later scoring on an RBI single by Notaro.
The Spartans return to the field on Tuesday evening as UNCG hosts Campbell at 6 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
Western Carolina 9, UNC Greensboro 4
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Western Carolina...... 022 020 102 - 9 12 1 (29-17)
UNC Greensboro.......100 030 000 - 4 9 1 (16-25)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro Alex Shelton, Matt Parish, Rob Gilliam. Western Carolina Mike Tavernier, Brandon Johnson, Daniel Ottone.
Win- Mike Tavernier (5-4) Loss- Alex Shelton (0-6) T-2:44 A-283
HR: Western Carolina: J.C. Lyons (6), Stephen Notaro (12), Nick Liles (8)
- UNCG -
