GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG senior Thomas Troelstrup belted a two-run homer in the first inning as part of a 2-4 afternoon as the Spartans defeated Eastern Kentucky, 7-5, on Tuesday at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
With two outs in the first inning, Trevor Edwards hit a high fly ball to the edge of the grass in the infield, but the Colonel shortstop lost the ball in the sun and it dropped harmlessly for a single. Troelstrup then came up for UNCG (9-2) and belted his third home run of the season to left field to give the home side an early 2-0 advantage.
The Spartans built on that lead in the second inning as TJ Spina led off with an infield single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cambric Moye. Kris Richards followed with a double to left field to make it a three-run game. After a single by Nick Chapman, Christian Wolfe delivered a single through the right side of the infield to score Richards and make the score 4-0.
The Colonels (3-8) responded with three runs in the top of the third to cut it to a one-run game. Sean Hagen led off with a walk and A.J. Jamison followed by taking the first pitch he saw out to left field to make it a 4-2 contest. Austin Grisham then reached on a Spartan error and would score later in the inning on a groundout.
That was all the scoring Eastern Kentucky would have until the ninth inning as reliever Dylan Hathcock (2-0) shut down the Colonels over the next five innings. Hathcock picked up the win after going 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on just four hits, while striking out a pair.
The Spartans would add a pair of insurance runs in the fifth to make it a three-run game. After a leadoff walk to Zach Leach, Trevor Edwards laid down a sac bunt, but was able to reach on an error. Troelstrup then singled through the left side of the infield to score Leach. After a pair of outs, Moye singled to center field to score Edwards and give UNCG a 6-3 lead.
UNCG would take advantage of another Colonel error in the eighth as Cole Harrison led off the inning with a double to the wall in center field. After a groundout, Leach hit a grounder to the shortstop, but the shortstop's throw sailed over the first baseman to allow Harrison to score easily and make it 7-3.
The score would stay that way until the ninth inning when Michael Garcia hit a one-out two-run home run to left field to pull Eastern Kentucky within 7-5.
Zach Furl then came in and used just four pitches to record the final two outs of the game to pick up his first save of the season.
The Spartans and Colonels will meet again on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
UNCG 7, Eastern Kentucky 5
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Eastern Kentucky.... 003 000 002 - 5 6 2 (3-8)
UNCG................ 220 020 01X - 7 12 1 (9-2)
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Pitchers: Eastern Kentucky - BOTTOMS, Blake; REXROAT, Austin(5); TERRY, Greg(5); FYFFE, Matt(7); BAZZANI, Anthony(8) and HAGEN, Sean. UNCG - Tyler Frazier; Wes McBride(3); Dylan Hathcock(4); Zach Furl(9) and Cambric Moye.
Win-Dylan Hathcock(2-0) Save-Zach Furl(1) Loss-BOTTOMS, Blake(0-1) T-2:52 A-156
HR EKU - JAMISON, A.J.; GARCIA, Michael.
HR UNCG - Thomas Troelstrup.
Weather: 55 and sunny
Frazier faced 4 batters in the 3rd.
Bottoms faced 3 batters in the 5th.
- UNCG -
