GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG fell into an early 1-0 hole in the first inning and No. 5 North Carolina rode starter Benton Moss for nearly six innings as the Spartans fell, 5-1, on Tuesday evening at UNCG Baseball Stadium in front of 2,726 fans.
Moss (2-0) earned the win after going 5 2/3 innings and striking out five batters. He gave up just four hits without yielding a run or walk. Dylan Hathcock (2-1) was credited with his first loss of the season for UNCG (10-6) after allowing just on earned run in three innings of work.
The Tar Heels (14-2) jumped on the Spartans early to take the lead. With one out, Tommy Coyle singled to right field and then moved to second on a groundout. It looked like UNCG would get out of the inning, but the Spartan throw to first on a groundball was in the dirt and Coyle was able to score from second to make it 1-0.
UNC added to its lead in the top of the third when Chaz Frank led off with a triple to the gap in right center and later scored on a groundout to make it a two-run game.
Another Spartan miscue led to a run for North Carolina in the top of the fifth to make it 3-0. After three-straight walks, UNCG was called for a balk to allow a run to walk home.
In the seventh inning, UNC added a run on an RBI double by Colin Moran and Moran was able to score later in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.
UNCG was finally able to get on the board in the bottom half of the seventh as Kris Richards led off with a single to center field. After a strikeout, Thomas Troelstrup singled to center, as well, to move Richards to second.
After another UNCG strikeout, Lloyd Enzor doubled to the gap in left center to score Richards. The Spartans would load the bases on a TJ Spina walk, but UNC got out of the jam by striking out the next Spartan batter.
The Spartans hit the road for the first time this season this weekend as they travel to Georgia Southern for a three-game series beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday.
AGATE
No. 5 North Carolina 5, UNCG 1
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North Carolina...... 101 010 200 - 5 5 3 (14-2)
UNCG................ 000 000 100 - 1 8 2 (10-6)
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Pitchers: North Carolina - Moss, B.; Orlan, R.C.(6); McCue, C.(7); Parrish, T.(9); Penny, C.(9) and Stallings, J. UNCG - Dylan Hathcock; Dominique Vattuone(4); Zach Furl(5); Jonathan Jones(6); Brennen James(7) and Cambric Moye.
Win-Moss, B.(2-0) Loss-Dylan Hathcock(2-1) T-3:08 A-2726
Weather: 74 and sunny
Parrish, T. faced 1 batter in the 9th.
- UNCG -
