ELON, N.C. – Despite raking out 13 hits, UNCG left 13 runners on base and was unable to take the lead as Elon scored at a least a single run in each of the first five innings as it snapped the Spartans' three game winning streak with a 6-4 victory in Southern Conference action on Friday night at Latham Park in Elon, N.C.
Elon (24-20, 14-8 SoCon) plated single runs in four of the first five innings and put up a two-spot in the fourth thanks to a two-run triple off the bat of Casey Jones that broke a 3-3 tie in the fourth inning.
UNCG (21-19, 6-13 SoCon) continued to swing a hot bat as it has produced 29 hits over the last two games, but was unable to deliver a clutch blow as it saw a three-game winning streak come to an end.
Junior Zach Leach tattooed the second pitch he saw from John Antonelli in the sixth inning for a double down the left field line to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.
The Phoenix plated a run in the first following an RBI single from Alex Swim to give Elon an early 1-0 lead. However, UNCG responded quickly with a run of its own in the top of the second as TJ Spina lofted a sacrifice fly to plate Kris Richards, who doubled to lead off the inning, tying the game at 1.
Elon's Garrett Koster crushed the first pitch he saw from UNCG Max Povse for a solo home run to left to swing the lead back into Elon's favor in the second inning.
Leading 2-1, Elon's Sebastian Gomez collected an RBI via sacrifice fly to push the Phoenix lead to two runs, 3-1 after three innings of play.
In the fourth inning, Thomas Troelstrup and Christian Wolfe hit back-to-back doubles to cut the deficit in half, 3-2. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, senior Bobby Martin roped an RBI single through the right side to tie at 3. In the bottom half of the frame, Elon took the lead for good as it scored two runs off the two-run triple from Jones that was hit to one of the deepest parts of the park in right center field.
Elon would tack on a run in the bottom of the fifth after Ryan Kinsella hit an RBI single through the right side and chase Spartan reliever Jonathan Jones and take a 6-3 lead.
Both bullpens found a groove as neither team could muster a run until the ninth inning. Trailing 6-3 in the ninth inning, UNCG looked like it had found some magic as Trevor Edwards doubled to right and Richards followed up with a single. With runners on the corners, Troelstrup roped an RBI single to left field for the third consecutive Spartan hit and to make it a 6-4 game. However, the Phoenix's Nate Young regained his composure and secured his sixth save on the season as he retired the next two batters in order to end the threat.
Over the last two months, UNCG is 2-6 on Friday night games, but has collected four wins in Saturday competition over the same span.
Antonelli (1-0) picked up the win as he provided Elon four quality innings of work while scattering two hits and striking out three.
Povse (2-3) took the loss as the freshman allowed five runs (four earned) and walked three in four innings of work on 65 pitches.
Richards and Troelstrup paced the Spartan offense as both went 3-for-5 on the night while Martin enjoyed a multi-hit game as he produced a 2-for-3 evening with an RBI. All but one starter for the Spartans collected a hit and UNCG as a whole banged out six extra-base hits.
The Spartans' Corey Taylor gave the bullpen a blow as he went three strong innings of two-hit shutout ball in relief.
Game two of the series will take place Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Latham Park in Elon, N.C.
AGATE
Elon 6, UNCG 4 (Apr 27, 2012 at Elon, N.C.)
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UNCG................ 010 200 001 - 4 13 1 (21-19, 6-13)
Elon................ 111 210 00X - 6 7 0 (24-20, 14-8)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Max Povse; Jonathan Jones(5); Zach Furl(5); Corey Taylor(6) and Trevor Edwards
. Elon - Kyle Webb; John Antonelli(5); Nate Young(9) and Alex Swim.
Win-John Antonelli(1-0) Save-Nate Young(6) Loss-Max Povse(2-3) T-3:01 A-541
HR ELON - Garrett Koster.
Weather: 76 degrees and sunny
Webb faced 2 batters in the 5th.
- UNCG -
