CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNCG redshirt junior Trevor Edwards went 5-for-6 with three RBI including a no-doubt home run and Tyler Hollstegge pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-hit shutout relief as UNCG mashed out 16 hits on its way to defeating No. 10 North Carolina, 8-4, on Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The victory was the first time UNCG has defeated a ranked team since April 18, 2006 when it stunned the No. 1 ranked Tar Heels, 7-6, in Greensboro, N.C.
Zach Leach went 1-for-5 with a go-ahead RBI double down the left field line in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to a team-high 15 games.
UNCG (21-18) won its third game in a row after losing five straight and did so in dominant fashion. The Spartans got on the board first after Bobby Martin led the game off with a walk and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs and Edwards roped an RBI single up the middle to give UNCG the early 1-0 lead.
North Carolina (29-13) responded with a bang as it plated four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead. The Tar Heels loaded the bases and scored runs on back-to-back walks to Michael Russell and Cody Stubbs to take a 2-1 lead. The next batter, Adam Griffin, collected an RBI via fielders' choice. Tom Zengel followed up with a sacrifice fly to make a 4-1 lead in the Tar Heels favor after one inning of play.
However, the Spartans would not go down easily as they scored three runs in the front-end of the second half to knot the game up at four apiece. The Spartans would load the bases and set the table for Lloyd Enzor. Enzor didn't disappoint as he hit a two-run single to left to cut the deficit to one and to chase UNC starter Chris Munnelly. Edwards welcomed R.C. Orlan to the game with an RBI single to center to tie the game at four.
Through the first two innings of play, the two teams combined for seven walks, eight runs and eight runners left on base on only five hits.
After both teams failed to score in the third and fourth inning, UNCG plated a single run in every inning the rest of the game except the seventh inning.
In the fifth, Leach dug in with two on and two out and delivered a go-ahead RBI double to left to give UNCG a 5-4 that it'd never relinquish.
The Spartans tacked on an additional run in sixth as TJ Spina plated a run thanks to a sacrifice fly. UNCG would add an insurance run in the eighth inning as Edwards tapped home plate following an error by the Tar Heels' Tommy Coyle.
Leading 7-4 in the top of the ninth, Edwards blasted his 13th home run of a year on a frozen rope to right field. It was the first home run for both UNCG and Edwards since April 6 when he went yard against Presbyterian.
Hollstegge (4-4) shut the door as he retired the side in the ninth and secured the victory. Hollstegge went 5 1/3 innings of relief and allowed only one hit and struck out four.
Redshirt freshman Adam Boghosian provided the Spartans with a quality outing as he went 2 2/3 innings of shutout ball and scattered three hits while walking a batter.
The 16-hit outburst is the second-highest total for the Spartans on the season after they dished out 19 hits on opening weekend against Delaware St.
Martin enjoyed a three-hit performance on the evening and Spina and Enzor collected multi-hit games as both produced two hits. Every starter but one recorded a hit for the Spartans in the game.
Orlan (7-1) took his first loss of the season as he went three innings and allowed a run even though he allowed nine hits. The loss for the Tar Heels was the first time they lost to a SoCon opponent on the season.
UNCG was only retired in order once on the evening and recorded a hit in eight of the nine innings, but, it stranded 15 runners on base compared to the Tar Heels nine.
UNCG returns to action Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. as it travels to Elon, N.C. for a three-game Southern Conference series against the Elon Phoenix. Saturday's game starts at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday's game commences at 1:30 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG 8, North Carolina 4 (Apr 24, 2012 at Chapel Hill, N.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UNCG................ 130 011 011 - 8 16 2 (21-18)
North Carolina...... 400 000 000 - 4 5 1 (29-13)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UNCG - Dominique Vattuone; Jonathan Jones(1); Adam Boghosian(2); Tyler Hollstegge(4)
and Trevor Edwards. North Carolina - Munnelly, Chris; Orlan, R.C.(2); McCullough, Mason(5);
Taylor, Shane(6); Parrish, Tate(6); Paula, Luis(8) and Stallings, Jacob.
Win-Tyler Hollstegge(4-4) Loss-Orlan, R.C.(7-1) T-3:16 A-471
HR UNCG - Trevor Edwards.
Weather: 62 degrees and partly cloudy
Jones faced 2 batters in the 2nd.
McCullough M faced 1 batter in the 6th.
Parrish, T. faced 1 batter in the 8th.
