GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG hit six home runs and scored 18 runs total as the Spartans swept the doubleheader from Delaware State on Saturday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The Spartans took the first game 5-4 before easily winning the second game 13-1 to complete the series sweep.
Dominique Vattuone got the win for UNCG (3-0) in the first game as he pitched the final 1 2/3 innings of relief and gave up only one hit and struck out two. Dylan Hathcock got the win in the second game after working two innings of hitless ball and striking out one.
Zach Leach led the Spartans at the plate as he went 3-5 on the day with six RBI and four runs scored. Andrew Spleth also went 3-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Christian Wolfe had three RBI on the day.
Ryan Haas had two hits and three RBI for the Hornets (0-3) and Eddie Sorondo had two hits in the second game of the afternoon.
UNCG took the lead in the second inning in the second game of the doubleheader as Bobby Martin hit a two-out two-run single to left field to make it 2-0.
Leach struck for the first time in the third inning as he hit a towering three-run home run down the left field line to make it 5-0. The Spartans would push it to 7-0 in the same inning as Kris Richards added an RBI double before later scoring on a single by Wolfe.
Trevor Edwards kept it rolling for UNCG as he led off the fourth inning with a deep home run to right field to make it 8-0. After a Thomas Troelstrup double and a walk by TJ Spina, Leach stepped to the plate and hit his second three-run home run in as many innings to open up the Spartan lead to 11-0.
The score would remain that way until Spleth hit a two-run homer to left field to make it 13-0. The Hornets would avoid the shutout in the ninth inning by adding a run on a fielder's choice to make the final score 13-1.
In the first game of the afternoon, UNCG used a ninth-inning rally to get the victory. After Delaware State tied the game at 4-4 in the eighth inning, UNCG got a leadoff single from Leach to lead off the bottom half of the ninth.
After a sacrifice bunt by Cambric Moye, Richards singled to put runners on the corners and then Martin was intentionally walked to load the bases. Delaware State then made a pitching change and Wolfe took a 2-2 pitch straight up the middle that went off the shoulder of the pitcher. The ball fell harmlessly in front of the second baseman and allowed Leach to come home from third and give UNCG a 5-4 walk-off victory.
The Hornets struck first in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. Troy Drummond led off with a single to center field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then to third on a groundout. Ryan Haas then delivered an RBI single up the middle.
UNCG was able to answer and tie the game at one in the bottom of the second when Edwards led off the inning with a solo home run to right field.
The Spartans were able to get a sacrifice fly in the third inning and added another run on an error in the fourth inning to build a 3-1 lead. Kris Richards made it a 4-1 cushion for UNCG as he hit his second home run in as many days to left center.
The Hornets began their comeback in the top of the seventh as Haas led off with a walk and then scored later in the inning on a single by Eddie Sorondo.
In the eighth inning, Drummond drew a one-out walk and then back-to-back Hornets were hit by pitches to load the bases. Haas slapped a single through the right side of the infield to tie the game at 4-4.
The Spartans will return to action on Tuesday as they host UNC Asheville at 4 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG 5, Delaware State 4 (Game 1)
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Delaware State...... 100 000 120 - 4 5 3 (0-2)
UNCG................ 011 110 001 - 5 9 0 (2-0)
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Pitchers: Delaware State - McCLAIN,Matt; DILL,Tommy(7); STURGEON,Chad(9) and SORONDO,Eddie. UNCG - Corey Taylor; Zach Furl(5); Adam Boghosian(6); Jonathan Jones(8); Dominique Vattuone(8) and Cambric Moye.
Win-Dominique Vattuone(1-0) Loss-DILL,Tommy(0-1) T-2:57 A-354
HR UNCG - Trevor Edwards; Kris Richards.
Weather: 55 and sunny
Jones faced 1 batter in the 8th.
STURGEON,C faced 1 batter in the 9th.
UNCG 13, Delaware State 1 (Game 2)
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Delaware State...... 000 000 001 - 1 6 0 (0-3)
UNCG................ 025 400 02X - 13 19 0 (3-0)
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Pitchers: Delaware State - GARDNER,Elliott; ADKINS,Zach(4); MARSHALSEA,Derek(7); CANDELORO,Zach(8) and CECIL,Cameron; BROEHL,Peter. UNCG - Max Povse; Dylan Hathcock(5); Wes McBride(7); Tyler Frazier(8); Pete Schultz(9) and Trevor Edwards; Cambric Moye.
Win-Dylan Hathcock(1-0) Loss-GARDNER,Elliott(0-1) T-2:33 A-291
HR UNCG - Trevor Edwards; Zach Leach 2; Andrew Spleth.
Weather: 60 and mostly cloudy
GARDNER,E faced 3 batters in the 4th.
- UNCG -
