GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG jumped out to a 4-0 lead and rattled off seven unanswered runs to end the game as the Spartans defeated the Catamounts, 11-4, on Saturday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
Jarett Miller recorded his first win of the season for UNCG (9-5, 2-0 Southern Conference) after coming out of the bullpen to pitch the final five innings, while allowing only three hits and no runs. Catamount starter Jordan Smith picked up his first loss of the season after pitching only 4 2/3 innings and giving up six runs, five earned, on seven hits.
Trevor Edwards continued his hot performance with the bat this weekend as he went 3-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Drew Gehringer also provided a pair of hits and two RBI, while Cole Harrison and Andrew Spleth each added a pair of RBI.
The Catamounts (7-5, 0-2 SoCon) were led by leadoff hitter Austin Schultz who went a perfect 4-4 at the dish with two RBI. Stephen Notaro also had three hits for Western Carolina and Adam Martin added an RBI.
For the second-straight day, it was the Spartans who jumped on Western Carolina for the early advantage. Edward led off the bottom of the second with a double down the right field line and Thomas Troelstrup followed with a walk. The two runners advanced on a passed ball before a fielder's choice and error allowed Edwards to score.
Ray Quinones then delivered a double to left field that scored Troelstrup and put Zach Leach on third. Gehringer continued the extra-base hit parade for UNCG as he hit a triple to the gap in right center that scored Leach and Quinones to make it 4-0.
The Spartan lead didn't last long, however, as the Catamounts answered with a four-spot of their own in the top of the fourth inning. Matt Johns led off with a walk and then scored on a double by Martin. Later in the inning, Schultz hit a two-run double to left field and the Catamounts would add another run on a wild pitch to make it 4-4.
It was all UNCG the rest of the way as the Spartans put up seven unanswered runs in the next five innings.
The Spartans immediately recaptured the lead in the bottom half of the fourth as Harrison hit a towering two-run home run to left field that gave UNCG a 6-4 lead.
Harrison found himself on the other end of things in the sixth inning as he drew a one-out walk and would later score on a double by Chris Barker to the gap in right center to make things 7-4.
Ray Crawford added a pinch-hit single right back up the middle in the seventh inning to score Spleth and make it 8-4 in favor of the home team.
UNCG really blew things open in the bottom of the eighth with three more runs, thanks to an RBI single by Edwards and a two-run double by Spleth.
The Spartans and Catamounts will wrap up the series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
UNCG 11, Western Carolina 4
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Western Carolina.... 000 400 000 - 4 9 1 (7-5, 0-2)
UNCG................ 040 201 13X - 11 13 1 (9-5, 2-0)
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Pitchers: Western Carolina - Jordan Smith; Jeremy Sluder(5); Taylor Sandefur(6); Andrew Chilcoat(7); Morgan McKinney(8); TJ Page(8) and Adam Martin. UNCG - Brandon Browne; Greg Smith(4); Jarett Miller(5) and Zach Leach; Trevor Edwards.
Win-Jarett Miller(1-1) Loss-Jordan Smith(2-1) T-2:57 A-367
HR UNCG - Cole Harrison.
Weather: 60 and sunny
McKinney faced 1 batter in the 8th.
- UNCG -
