CHARLESTON, S.C. – Trailing 6-2 entering the ninth inning, UNCG mounted an incredible seven-run rally as it put 11 batters to the plate to defeat College of Charleston, 9-6, on Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point. The win clinched the weekend series for the Spartans and moved them into sole possession of second place in the Southern Conference.
Ray Crawford got the inning started with a single through the right side and moved to second when Thomas Troelstrup reached on an error by the Cougar shortstop. The two advanced on a groundout to the first basemen before Cody Walker doubled down the left field line to score both runners and make it 6-4.
Bobby Martin followed with a single to left field to put runners on the corners before Zach Leach doubled to the wall in left field to score Walker and move Martin to third. Trailing by just one run, Drew Gehringer grounded out to the shortstop up the middle to allow Martin to score and tie the game at six.
The Spartans weren't done there as Eric Brindle walked and Ray Quinones doubled down the left-field line to score Leach and move Brindle to third. Both of those runners would come in to score when Crawford came back up and singled up the middle to give UNCG the 9-6 lead.
Greg Smith (2-3) pitched the final 2 2/3 innings for UNCG (27-18, 16-8 SoCon), while allowing just two hits and striking out a batter. Robert Jeroszko (4-3) allowed seven runs, just two earned, on five hits in just 1 2/3 innings.
Crawford had a season-best 4-5 performance at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored, while Walker went 1-2 with three RBI and a run scored. In all, six different Spartans had at least one RBI and eight scored one run.
Jose Rodriguez went 2-3 for College of Charleston (31-17, 15-9 SoCon) with two walks, an RBI and run scored. Daniel Aldrich also went 3-5 with an RBI and Cole Rakar and Jamie Holler added a pair of hits each.
The Cougars struck first as they put together a two-out rally in the first inning. Matt Leeds started it with a walk and then moved over to second on a wild pitch. Daniel Aldrich then singled to center field to score Leeds from second and make it 1-0.
College of Charleston struck again with two outs in the bottom of the second when Holler hit a solo home run to the short porch in left field to give the home team a 2-0 lead.
The Spartans had an answer in the top of the third when Chris Barker slapped a single to the opposite field with one out. After a fly out, Trevor Edwards hit a double off the bottom of the wall in right field to score Barker from first and pull UNCG within 2-1.
The score would stay that way until the top of the seventh when UNCG was able to knot the game at two. Crawford led off with a single to right field and moved to second on a bunt single by Troelstrup. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Kris Richards before Walker grounded to the third baseman. As the third baseman made the throw to first, Crawford broke for home and was able to slide in safely to make it 2-2.
The game didn't stay tied for long as Rodriguez took the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the seventh and deposited it over the wall in left center to put the Cougars back in front, 3-2.
College of Charleston wasn't done there in the seventh as Ryan Daniels added an RBI double and Rob Kral added a two-run single to give the Cougars a 6-2 advantage.
The Spartans will travel to High Point on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in their final midweek game of the season.
AGATE
UNCG 9, College of Charleston 6
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UNCG................ 001 000 107 - 9 11 1 (27-18, 16-8)
Coll. of Charleston. 110 000 400 - 6 13 3 (31-17, 15-9)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Colby Hyatt; Zach Furl(6); Jarett Miller(6); Jonathan Jones(7); Greg Smith(7) and Trevor Edwards; Zach Leach. Coll. of Charleston - Christian Powell; Robert Jeroszko(8); Kyle Owings(9) and Robert Pritcher; Jimmy Holton.
Win-Greg Smith(2-3) Loss-Robert Jeroszko(4-3) T-3:10 A-417
HR COFC - Jose Rodriguez; Jamie Holler.
Weather: 81 and sunny
Jones faced 2 batters in the 7th.
- UNCG -
