GREENSBORO, N.C. – Kris Richards went 3-5 with a two-run home run and four Spartan pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout as UNCG handed Delaware State a 13-0 loss on the opening day of the 2012 season on Friday.
Due to the threat of inclement weather on Sunday, the game originally scheduled for Sunday has been moved to Saturday and will be played as a doubleheader. The first game of the doubleheader has moved from the scheduled time of 1 p.m. up to 12 p.m.
Tyler Hollstegge (1-0) picked up the win after going five innings and allowing just one hit and striking out four. Eric Kalbfleisch followed with two innings of work and gave up just one hit before Lee Gilliam and Brennen James each pitched an inning of hitless work.
Jordan Elliot (0-1) was credited with the loss for the Hornets (0-1) after allowing seven runs, three earned, on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. Just three of the Spartans' 13 runs of the evening were earned as the Hornets committed six errors in the contest.
Richards led the Spartans (1-0) at the plate as he went 3-5 with three RBI and a run scored. TJ Spina also had a nice evening as he went 2-3 with two doubles and three runs scored.
In addition to pitching two scoreless innings, Kalbfleisch also showed some promise with his bat. After neither team scored in the first inning, Kalbfleisch came up in the bottom of the second and hit a home run to deep right field in his first at-bat as a Spartan.
After Spina doubled to left field to lead off the fourth, he was able to move over to third on a groundout before later scoring on a Richards single to push the lead out to 3-0.
UNCG was able to open up the game in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a couple of Hornet errors. Trevor Edwards led off the inning by reaching on an error and Spina walked a batter later. Cole Harrison then delivered a triple to the power alley in right center to score Edwards and Spina.
Richards kept the Spartans rolling as he took a 1-0 pitch into the trees over the left field wall to give UNCG a comfortable 7-0 lead.
UNCG was able to take advantage of another Delaware State error in the sixth inning to plate three more runs. After a leadoff walk by Troelstrup and a groundout, Lloyd Enzor hit a single to shortstop and Troelstrup was able to score after the throw to first went into the dugout. After a strikeout, Andrew Spleth and Zach Leach delivered back-to-back RBI singles to make it 10-0.
A leadoff double by Edwards in the eighth helped start another Spartan offense flurry. Another Hornet error put runners on the corners before a walk by Ricky Guile loaded the bases. Richards appeared to have hit an inning-ending fly out to the warning track in left field, but the Hornet left fielder dropped the catch, which allowed all three Spartan base runners to score and make the final score 13-0.
The Spartans and Hornets will wrap up the series on Saturday with a doubleheader at 12 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG 13, Delaware State 0
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Delaware State...... 000 000 000 - 0 2 6 (0-1)
UNCG................ 020 143 03X - 13 12 0 (1-0)
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Pitchers: Delaware State - ELLIOT,Jordan; PATMAN,Josh(5); BROWN,Bobby(7) and CECIL,Cameron. UNCG - Tyler Hollstegge; Eric Kalbfleisch(6); Lee Gilliam(8); Brennen James(9) and Trevor Edwards; Cambric Moye.
Win-Tyler Hollstegge(1-0) Loss-ELLIOT,Jordan(0-1) T-2:46 A-491
HR UNCG - Eric Kalbfleisch; Kris Richards.
- UNCG -
