GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG and Elon battled to a scoreless draw for eight innings before the Phoenix scored a run in the top of the ninth as the Spartans fell, 1-0, on Friday evening at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
With neither team able to produce a run in the first eight innings, Elon finally found some offense in the ninth inning. Ryan Kinsella drew a one-out walk and moved over to third as Sebastian Gomez followed with a single to center field. After a UNCG pitching change, pinch hitter Ben Scott delivered a single into the hole on the left side of the infield that allowed Kinsella to score the game-winning run.
Reliever John Brebbia picked up the win to move to 5-0 on the season as he pitched just a third of an inning. He replaced starter Kyle Webb who threw 7 2/3 innings and gave up just five hits and struck out six. Mitch Conner came in to pitch a scoreless ninth inning to record his sixth save of the season.
UNCG (14-10, 6-4 Southern Conference) reliever Jonathan Jones was credited with the loss after allowing one run on two hits and 2 1/3 innings of work. Starter Warren Slack went six strong innings and struck out six batters, while only allowing four hits.
Bobby Martin led the Spartans with a 2-4 performance and also drew a walk. Andrew Spleth went 1-2 with two walks, as well.
In addition to Scott's 1-1 performance, Gomez helped lead the Phoenix (18-9, 9-1 SoCon) with a 2-4 performance. Kinsella also had a double to go along with his run scored.
The Spartan offense couldn't get things going early on before falling just a hit short late in the contest. It took UNCG until the fourth inning to get its first hit when Trevor Edwards singled through the right side. Spleth followed with a walk, but both runners were stranded.
UNCG left runners stranded on first and second in the following inning, as well, but it seemed like the Spartans got things going in the bottom of the eighth. Martin led things off with an infield single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Barker.
After a strikeout, Edwards and Spleth drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. The Phoenix were able to get out of the jam, though, as right fielder Niko Fraser made a running catch in the right-center gap, narrowly colliding with center fielder Harry Austin.
UNCG was able to get runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth, but a fly out to right field ended the game.
The Spartans and Phoenix will meet in game two of the series on Saturday at 1 p.m.
AGATE
Elon 1, UNCG 0
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Elon................ 000 000 001 - 1 7 0 (18-9, 9-1)
UNCG................ 000 000 000 - 0 5 1 (14-10, 6-4)
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Pitchers: Elon - Kyle Webb; John Brebbia(8); Mitch Conner(9) and Ryan Kinsella. UNCG - Warren Slack; Jonathan Jones(7); Jarett Miller(9) and Trevor Edwards.
Win-John Brebbia(5-0) Save-Mitch Conner(6) Loss-Jonathan Jones(0-2) T-2:35 A-281
Weather: 52 and partly cloudy
- UNCG -
