GREENSBORO, N.C. – Samford raced out to a 3-1 lead after three innings of play, but UNCG rallied behind six strong innings of relief from pitcher Dominique Vattuone for the come-from-behind victory over Samford, 4-3, on Friday evening at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
The game marked the Southern Conference opener for both squads.
With the two teams tied at three through seven innings of play, UNCG (10-3, 1-0 SoCon) was able to manufacture a run in the bottom of the eighth to complete the comeback. Eric Kalbfleisch led off with a walk and then Ricky Guile came in to pinch run for him.
Guile moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kris Richards and advanced to third on a groundout. With two outs, Zach Leach delivered a single back up the middle to easily score Guile and put the Spartans ahead, 4-3.
Vattuone (2-1) earned the victory after coming into the game in the top of the fourth and shutting down the Bulldogs over the final six innings. He allowed just two hits and one walk over those six innings of work, while striking out six batters. He also retired the first 11 batters he faced after entering the game.
Samford (9-5, 0-1 SoCon) was able to jump on the board in the first inning to take the lead. Zeth Stone led off with a four-pitch walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a walk and fly out, Phillip Ervin slapped a single into center field to score Stone and make it 1-0.
The Spartans immediately answered in the bottom half of the inning in similar fashion. Leach hit a leadoff single up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After moving over the third, Leach scored when Trevor Edwards grounded out to the first baseman to tie the score at 1-1.
An error by UNCG in the top of the second allowed Samford to come back and take the lead. After Tommy Corbin was hit by a pitch to start the inning, UNCG got a pair of fly outs by Samford. It appeared as if it would be three fly outs, but the Spartan left fielder dropped the would-be fly out allowing Corbin to come around and score to make it 2-1.
It was Corbin who struck again in the third inning that helped the Bulldogs stretch their lead to 3-1. With two outs, C.K. Irby singled up the middle and Corbin followed with a double to the gap in left center that allowed Irby to score all the way from first.
The score would stay that way until the bottom of the fifth when UNCG was able to take advantage of some Bulldogs miscues to tie the game. Thomas Troelstrup and Edwards led off the inning with back-to-back walks when a wild pitch by Kyle Putkonen allowed both runners to move up. As Troelstrup was sliding into third, the catcher's throw sailed into left field to allow Troelstrup to come home and make it 3-2.
Lloyd Enzor followed with a single through the left side of the infield to move Edwards over to third before Putkonen balked, which allowed Edwards to walk home and tie the game at 3-3.
The Spartans and Bulldogs will meet again on Saturday at 1 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG 4, Samford 3
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Samford............. 111 000 000 - 3 5 2 (9-5, 0-1)
UNCG................ 100 020 01X - 4 6 1 (10-3, 1-0)
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Pitchers: Samford - Kyle Putkonen; Joseph Burns(5); Tyler Vanderheiden(7); Taylor Hammond(8) and Brad Moss. UNCG - Tyler Hollstegge; Dominique Vattuone(4) and Trevor Edwards.
Win-Dominique Vattuone(2-1) Loss-Tyler Vanderheiden(1-1) T-2:40 A-206
Hollstegge faced 1 batter in the 4th.
- UNCG -
