GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF) | GAME TWO BOX SCORE (PDF)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After a 10-9 win in game one at Wofford Friday, the UNCG baseball team fell to the Terriers 4-1 in the nightcap at Russell C. King Field. The Spartans are now 11-11 overall and 1-5 in Southern Conference play while Wofford moves to 10-14 and 2-6.
Game 1
UNCG jumped all over Wofford in the second inning, scoring six runs to push ahead 6-0. The Spartans loaded the bases without the benefit of a base hit before sophomore outfielder Zac MacAneney doubled down the left field line to score senior infielder TJ Spina and sophomore outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch. Redshirt freshman Nin Marrero then reached on an error by Terrier starting pitcher Brandon Yarusi which allowed two more runs to score. A bunt single by senior outfielder Zach Leach and a sac fly by Kalbfleisch completed the offensive outburst.
The Terriers responded quickly, scoring three runs on two hits and a wild pitch in the inning to bring the score to 6-3. The teams remained scoreless over the next two frames, but Wofford struck again in the fifth.
A double by Josh Hyman left him on second with two away before the Spartans began to falter. A passed ball, an error and a RBI single allowed three runs to come home and the Terriers knotted the score at six after five complete.
An infield single in the sixth allowed Wofford to complete its comeback and take its first lead of the contest. With two outs, Hyman poked a single out to short and Spina just missed throwing him out. Sophomore Tyler Frazier induced a groundout to end the inning.
That lead for the home team was short lived, however, as UNCG erupted for a big four runs in the top of the seventh. Senior infielder Trevor Edwards doubled to right before Kalbfleisch walked with one out. Spina followed with another walk to load the bases still with one away. Senior infielder Lloyd Enzor and MacAneney laced consecutive singles to score three runs and give the Spartans the lead before Marrero tallied a RBI groundout to make it a 10-7 advantage for the Blue and Gold.
The Terriers attempted one last rally in the ninth, scoring two runs on a pair of RBI singles, but junior Dylan Hathcock came on with one out and shut the door – recording his third save in four days.
Frazier earned his first win of the season, throwing 3.1 innings in relief and giving up three runs on four hits with a strikeout. MacAneney was the hero at the plate, going 3-for-5 and tallying four RBI. The Spartans also reached double figures in runs for the second time this season.
Game 2
Wofford jumped on top early in the second contest on a two-out RBI single by Seth Neely. Thanks to pair of two-out Spartans errors in the second inning, the Terriers were able to extend their advantage to 2-0. Sophomore Lee Gilliam had a runner dead to rights at the plate, but he overthrew Moye to allow the run to score.
More two out trouble for UNCG occurred in the fourth as Gilliam loaded the bases on a walk to Alec Paradowski. However, he rebounded to fan Hyman and keep the score at 2-0.
The Spartans finally put some hits together in the seventh as Edwards and Spina recorded base knocks, but Enzor struck out to end the inning. Wofford added two insurance runs in the bottom of the frame when Neely doubled to score Paradowski with one away and James Plaisted put down a bunt single to plate Neely.
UNCG broke up the shutout in the top of the eighth. MacAneney doubled to lead off the inning before Leach laced a double of his own down the right field line to score MacAneney. Edwards had a chance to bring him in but he fouled out to end the inning.
The Spartans got a walk by Kalbfleisch in the ninth but that was all as the Terriers ended the game with a strikeout.
Gilliam suffered his first loss of the season but still put forth a solid outing. He threw six innings allowing just one earned run and six hits while striking out six. Wofford's starter Jesse Morris was spectacular, striking out 15 batters in seven and two-thirds innings of work. Leach had the lone RBI for UNCG in the contest.
The teams will conclude the series Saturday with a first pitch of 3 p.m. scheduled.
- UNCG -
