GREENSBORO, N.C. - Senior Corey Overholtzer hit a two-out two-run home run over the right field wall and freshman Zach Leach drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to complete the comeback as UNC Greensboro defeated Cleveland State, 7-6, on Saturday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
The win pushed the Spartans to 2-0 on the young season for the first time since 2005, while Cleveland State fell to 0-2.
Wes McBride pitched a scoreless ninth inning of relief to pick up the win for UNCG, while Jimmy Cowhy was credited with the loss after failing to record an out in the bottom of the ninth.
Jayjack continued his hot start as he went 2-3 with a RBI and two runs scored and Overholtzer went 2-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored to lead UNCG.
Trailing 6-0 with just six outs left, UNCG began to mount their comeback in the bottom of the eighth after Vikings starter Coty Bates was pulled after seven innings. He pitched a dominating seven innings of three-hit ball, while allowing no runs and striking out seven.
When the Spartans were finally able to get to Viking bullpen, they were able to produce some offense. With one out in the eighth, Drew Gehringer reached on an error by the third baseman and Overholtzer followed with a walk. A line-drive single to right field by Jayjack scored Gehringer from second and moved Overholtzer over to third. A walk by Lloyd Enzor loaded the bases and Overholtzer made it 6-2 after scoring on a wild pitch. Ray Quinones followed with a single up the middle to score Jayjack and Enzor to pull the Spartans within 6-4 after eight innings.
Trailing by two in the final inning, Eric Brindle delivered a double into the left field corner with one out. After a groundout made it two outs in the inning, Overholtzer took a 1-0 pitch over the right field wall to knot the game at 6-6. Cowhy then came in to pitch for Cleveland State and hit Jayjack with his first pitch. Enzor then drew a four-pitch walk and Quinones loaded the bases after drawing a walk as well. Travis Miller then came into pitch for Cowhy and Leach was able to draw a walk on a 3-2 pitch to score Jayjack from third and give UNCG the victory.
The game didn't start well for the Spartans as Cleveland State controlled the first seven innings. Ryan Franks ran off Spartan starter Alex Shelton in the third inning after he hit a two-out home run to right field that scored Jason Haditsch and Alex Johnson to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
Cleveland State was able to extend their lead to 6-0 in the top of the sixth after reliever Blake Hassebrock lost his command. With two outs and runners on second and third, Hassebrock threw a wild pitch on a walk to Tom Carter that allowed Haditsch to score from third. Franks struck again as he delivered a double to right center that scored two.
UNCG goes for the sweep over Cleveland State on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 7, Cleveland State 6
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Cleveland State..... 003 000 300 - 6 6 1 (0-2)
UNC Greensboro...... 000 000 043 - 7 7 1 (2-0)
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Pitchers: Cleveland State - BATES, Coty; HALL, Kris (8); MILLER, Travis (8); COWHY, Jimmy (9) and SUITCA, Bob. UNC Greensboro - Alex Shelton; Blake Hassebrock (4); Zach Furl (7); Wes McBride (9)
Win-Wes McBride (1-0) Loss-COWHY, Jimmy (0-1) T-2:48 A-211
HR CSU - FRANKS, Ryan (1).
HR UNCG - Corey Overholtzer (1).
COWHY faced 3 batters in the 9th.
- UNCG -
