GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNC Greensboro scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back as the Spartans took the final game of the series from Army, 10-5, on Sunday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Zach Furl picked up his second win of the year for the Spartans (7-3) after giving up only two hits in relief of starter Blake Hassebrock who pitched the first four innings. Matt Parish pitched the final four outs for his first save of the season.
Army (4-2) starter Joey Henshaw was credited with the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.
Zach Leach went 2-3 at the plate with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored for the Spartans and Corey Overholtzer added three hits in five at-bats along with an RBI and run scored.
The game didn't start off well though for the Spartans as the Black Knights were the first team to get on the board. Zach Price led off the game with a walk and moved to second on David Darnell's single through the right side. Price later scored on Henshaw's single down the right field line to put Army ahead, 1-0.
UNCG battled back in the bottom half of the first as Overholtzer delivered a single with one out. Quinones followed with a single to left center before Ed Jayjack was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lloyd Enzor was then hit by a pitch as well to score Overholtzer from third. After a fielder's choice, Cody Walker slapped a single to center field that scored Enzor and Jayjack to give the Spartans a 3-1 lead.
Army battled back in the third inning to knot the game at three when Clint Moore walked and Henshaw and McKague followed with back-to-back singles to score Moore. Henshaw scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to tie the game at 3.
The Spartans refused to quit as Enzor reached on a fielding error with two outs and Leach made the Black Knights pay as he followed with a home run over the wall in left center to give UNCG a 5-3 advantage.
UNCG added an extra run in the bottom of the fourth as Overholtzer hit his fifth double of the year down the right field line to score Kris Richards and make it a 6-3 game.
It appeared as if the Black Knights were putting together a rally in the top of the sixth, but Drew Gehringer threw a rope from right field to nail Shaun Wixted at the plate to end the threat.
The Spartans continued to pour on the offense in the seventh as they added two more runs to take an 8-3 lead. UNCG loaded the bases with no outs after Chris Barker reached on a throwing error sandwiched around walks by Leach and Richards. Eric Brindle followed with a singled to center field to score Leach and Barker.
The Black Knights score two unearned runs in the top of the eighth to pull within 8-5, but that was as close as they would get the rest of the afternoon.
UNCG added two insurance runs in the bottom half of the eighth, highlight by Barker's RBI triple to left center, to make the final score 10-5.
The Spartans will continue their 14-game homestand on Tuesday as they host Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 10, Army 5
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Army................ 102 000 020 - 5 10 3 (4-2)
UNC Greensboro...... 302 100 22X - 10 12 5 (7-3)
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Pitchers: Army - Henshaw, Joey; Simpkins, Chris(5); Lee, Logan(7) and Watkins, J.T.. UNC Greensboro - Blake Hassebrock; Zach Furl(5); Tyler Hollstegge(6); Matt Parish(8) and Ed Jayjack.
Win-Zach Furl(2-0) Save-Matt Parish(1) Loss-Henshaw, Joey(1-1) T-3:07 A-308
HR UNCG - Zach Leach.
Weather: 61 and sunny
Simpkins, C faced 4 batters in the 7th.
- UNCG -
