UNCG vs. Elon, April 2-4, 7 p.m., 2 p.m., 1 p.m.
LiveStats: UNCGSpartans.com
Video: Spartan All Access (Friday only)
Storylines:
- UNC Greensboro will host backyard-rival and Southern Conference foe Elon this weekend beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The Spartans and Phoenix will meet for the second game of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. before wrapping the series up on Sunday 1 p.m.
- The series will also coincide with the Third Annual Katie Ball Memorial weekend, which will help in the battle against cancer. Throughout the weekend, every strikeout will be dedicated to those who have won the fight against cancer, those currently battling cancer adn those who have lost the fight. Fans who wish to make a dedication in honor of someone who has battled or is battling cancer are invited to visit the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life tables at the stadium.
- The Spartans and Phoenix have met 31 times in school history with the Phoenix holding a 21-10 advantage in the all-time series. Last season, the two teams dueled in a great game on Friday night that saw the Phoenix edge the Spartans, 2-1. Elon won game two 12-2 before completing the sweep on Sunday by a margin of 15-9.
- On Wednesday night, the Spartans defeated cross-town rival North Carolina A&T, 12-5, at NewBridge Bank Park, home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers. UNCG scored two runs in the first inning and never looked back as the Spartans scored in six of the eight innings they took to the plate. Corey Overholtzer went 2-4 with four RBI, including a three-run home run, while Ray Quinones and Kris Richards each chipped in a pair of hits and two RBI.
- On Tuesday night, UNCG faced Davidson in the first of three midweek games this season. UNCG fell behind 3-0 early, but the Spartans rallied to take a 6-3 lead and held off the Wildcats in the ninth inning to win, 6-5. The Spartans were led by starter Warren Slack who threw 8 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs on four hits in the first inning, but settled down to allow just five hits and strike out seven over the final 7 1/3 innings.
- Last weekend, the Spartans were swept by College of Charleston. UNCG dropped the first game of the series, 14-10, before falling on Saturday, 9-2 on Saturday. The Cougars completed the sweep on Sunday by narrowly edging the Spartans, 6-5.
- Sophomore Kris Richards is currently riding a career-high seven-game hitting streak, which is also top marks on the team this season. Over that stretch, Richards has hit 13-25 for a .520 average with a double and a home run. He has slugged .680 with three RBI and five runs scored during that stretch.
- True freshman Harry Slade broke into the starting lineup in left field against Princeton on March 15, and has since recorded at least one hit in nine of the 11 games he has had an official at-bat. During that stretch, he has hit .390, going 16-41 at the plate, with four doubles, six RBI and 10 runs scored. He has drawn six walks during that time, while only striking out once.
- This season the Spartans have received a great deal of support out of their bullpen, particularly reliever Greg Smith who is off to a 4-0 start this season. In addition to his four wins, Smith holds a 3.18 ERA after pitching 28 1/3 innings in ten appearances. He has struck out 27 batters, while only yielding 12 walks, and has held opponents to just a .262 batting average.
- For his efforts in the series sweep of Cleveland State, center fielder Corey Overholtzer was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week. Overholtzer hit .556 at the plate with four RBI and seven runs scored in the three games. He hit a two-out game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday and hit a solo home run in the eighth and a RBI single in the ninth on Sunday.
- This season, the UNCG baseball team is embarking on its 20th season and is approaching a milestone for the program. The Spartans need just 10 more wins this season to reach 600 wins in school history. Coming into the season, UNCG had won 578 all-time games in 19 seasons, 569 of them coming since UNCG moved into Division I in 1992. All of these wins have come under the watch of head coach Mike Gaski.
- The UNCG baseball team has been accustomed to the confines of the UNCG Baseball Stadium over the first half of the 2010 season. The Spartans played 19 of their first 20 games of the season at home, only making a trip to North Carolina (2/23) before starting their three-game series at Georgia Southern on March 26.
- Senior center fielder Corey Overholtzer is aiming towards breaking the school record for the most triples in a career. Overholtzer is currently one triple shy of breaking the school record of 16 triples set in 2004 by Ryan Gordon. He currently has 16 triples in his career after leading the SoCon in triples with six in each of the past two seasons. He is also just five triples away from breaking the SoCon record for most triples hit in a career, which is currently held by Lee Curtis from College of Charleston.
- Prior to the season, senior Ed Jayjack was selected to the Preseason All-SoCon second team as a catcher by the head coaches in the league. It marked the second-straight season that the Spartans had a member of the preseason team. In 2009, Corey Overholtzer was a second team preseason selection as a center fielder. The team was also picked to finish the season in 8th place in the media poll and 9th place in the coaches poll.
- Following the 2009 season, junior Rob Gilliam was drafted in the 8th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Oakland Athletics. Gilliam signed with the Athletics a few weeks later and ended his season with the Vancouver Canadians. The Spartans have now had at least one pitcher drafted in 11 of the past 13 seasons.
- This season, "Freebie Fridays" will return for all UNC Greensboro Friday home games. This initiative was created last season to allow fans to attend every UNCG home game on a Friday for no admission charge.
