GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior Warren Slack went five strong innings to pick up the win and received a little help in the form of a three-run home run from Drew Gehringer, as UNCG defeated Delaware, 7-3, in the season-opener for both teams at the UNCG Baseball Stadium on Friday night.
The win was No. 599 for head coach Mike Gaski, who is now in his 21st season at the helm for the Spartans.
Slack went five innings and allowed just two runs on seven hits, while striking out five batters to pick up the win. Jeff Murray was credited with the loss after going just 3 2/3 innings and giving up six runs, one earned, on seven hits. Zach Furl picked up his first save of the year after getting the final out of the game.
Gehringer provided the offensive spark for UNCG (1-0) in the third inning as his three-run blast over the left field wall capped off a six-run inning. Ray Quinones also had an impressive day at the plate as he went 3-4 with two runs scored as he finished just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.
The Blue Hens (0-1) were led by Steve Ulaky who went 3-5 with a pair of doubles, while D.J. Long had a 3-4 night at the plate with a pair of runs scored.
Delaware was the first to get on the board as the Blue Hens put up a run in the top of the third. Long led off the inning with a single through the left side and then moved to third on a double by Ulaky. Long was able to come home as the next batter grounded out to the second baseman to make it a 1-0 game.
After having just one hit in the first three innings, the Spartans exploded for six runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth. Quinones hit a double to the deepest part of the park in center to lead off the inning and advanced to third after Lloyd Enzor reached on a field error by the Blue Hen second baseman.
Zach Leach followed with a single to center field to tie the game at one and move Enzor to second. Thomas Troelstrup then laid down a sacrifice bunt on the first base line and Cody Walker followed with a walk to load the bases.
Kris Richards then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Enzor and move Walker and Leach to second and third. Matt Crump followed with an RBI infield single before Gehringer hit his shot out to left field to put UNCG ahead, 6-1.
The Blue Hens got a run back immediately in the top of the fifth as Long led off the inning with a walk. Pat Dameron followed with a double to the gap in right center to score Long from first and make it a 6-2 game.
Quinones got the Spartan offense started in the bottom of the seventh as he led off with a triple off the top of the wall in left center before Bobby Martin knocked him in on an infield single.
Delaware made things interesting in the top of the ninth with UNCG holding on to a 7-2 lead. Three singles loaded the bases for the Blue Hens with two outs. Furl came into the game in relief of Brandon Browne with the bases loaded. He walked the first batter he saw on a 3-2 pitch, but came right back to induce a game-ending groundout to second to give UNCG a 7-3 victory.
The Spartans and Blue Hens return to the diamond on Saturday for game two of the series at 1 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
UNCG 7, Delaware 3
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Delaware............ 001 010 001 - 3 11 1 (0-1)
UNCG................ 000 600 10X - 7 9 0 (1-0)
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Pitchers: Delaware - Murray, Jeff; Crispell, Corey(4) and Mascoe, Aaron. UNCG - Warren Slack;
Brandon Browne(6); Zach Furl(9) and Matt Crump.
Win-Warren Slack(1-0) Save-Zach Furl(1) Loss-Murray, Jeff(0-1) T-2:27 A-546
HR UNCG - Drew Gehringer.
Weather: 74 and partly cloudy
- UNCG -
