GREENSBORO, N.C. – High Point struck for two runs in the top of the first inning, but UNCG answered with nine unanswered runs, including four in the first, to defeat the Panthers, 10-3, on Wednesday evening at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The game was halted in the bottom of the fourth for 44 minutes due to a rain delay.
Greg Smith picked up his first win of the season after pitching three innings of relief and allowing just two runs. Steven Roche was credited with the loss for High Point (21-23) after allowing two runs on two hits in an inning of relief.
Cody Walker led the Spartans (22-17) at the plate as he went 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored and Trevor Edwards added three RBI from his cleanup spot in the lineup. Ray Quinones and Zach Leach also had two RBI for UNCG.
Sal Pezzino went 3-5 with a run scored for the Panthers and Murray White IV had a 2-4 evening with a run scored.
The Panthers jumped out to the early lead as Pezzino and Drew Geissinger led off the game with back-to-back singles on the first three pitches of the game. Steve Antolik followed with a single of his own to score Pezzino. Geissinger would score later in the inning on a sacrifice fly to give High Point a 2-0 lead.
The Spartans would come right back in the home half of the first with four runs to take the lead. The first three batters in the inning drew walks before Edwards delivered a triple into the right-field corner to clear the bases. Edwards would later score on a sacrifice fly by Thomas Troelstrup to make it 4-2.
UNCG would stretch it to 6-2 in the bottom of the third when Troelstrup was hit by a pitch and Walker drew a walk with one out. After a groundout advanced the runners, Leach delivered a single to left field to score both runners.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, heavy rain descended upon the stadium and the game was under a rain delay for 44 minutes.
When play resumed, the Spartans picked up where they left off. After Walker singled and Ray Crawford reached on an error, Quinones hit a single to center field to score the two runners and make it 8-2 in favor of the home side after five innings.
Walker struck again in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single up the middle to score Drew Gehringer and put the Spartans ahead, 9-2.
White would hit a one-out double for High Point in the top of the eighth and later score to pull High Point within 9-3.
UNCG capped off its scoring in the home half of the eighth on an RBI single through the left side to score Kris Richards who had a leadoff triple to make the final score 10-3.
The Spartans return to action this weekend as they host Georgia Southern for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 6 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG 10, High Point 3
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High Point.......... 200 000 010 - 3 8 5 (21-23)
UNCG................ 402 021 01X - 10 10 1 (22-17)
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Pitchers: High Point - YEVOLI, Al; ROCHE, Steven(1); SCHUMACHER, Nick(2); PRATSON, Adam(3); MALONEY, John(3); PETILLI, Mike(6); RODENBERG, Mikel(8) and MAHONEY, Kyle. UNCG - Jonathan Jones; Greg Smith(2); Jarett Miller(5); Zach Furl(7); Dylan Hathcock(8); Colby Hyatt(8) and Zach Leach; Cambric Moye.
Win-Greg Smith(1-3) Loss-ROCHE, Steven(0-1) T-3:28 A-339
Weather: 82 and partly cloudy
YEVOLI, A. faced 2 batters in the 1st.
- UNCG -
