Box score (PDF)

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The UNCG baseball team took an early 3-0 lead but Marist fought back to claim game one, 7-3, Friday night at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. 

With the loss UNCG falls to 6-5 on the season, while Marist improves to 4-4. 

The Spartans drove in three runs in the top of the first after senior Trevor Edwards (Toronto, Ontario/Taddle Creek Academy) doubled home two in the inning. Seniors Christian Wolfe (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) and Zach Leach (Herndon, Va./Herndon) started the game with back-to-back singles. Edwards picked up his team-leading 13th and 14th RBI on the double to left center. Marrero brought home another run on an RBI groundout to give UNCG a 3-0 advantage. 

UNCG starter sophomore Lee Gilliam (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill) went four innings without allowing a hit until the top of the fifth. With one out, Mark Brennan singled through the right side, followed by a fielding error by the Spartans to put runners on first and second with one out. After another single, Brennan scored on a wild pitch to put Marist on the board. Senior Zach Shank singled up the middle to tie the game at 3-3. 

Marist starter Chris Bielak settled in after allwoing three first inning runs, allowing only six hits with eight strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. 

The Red Foxes took control in the top of the fifth when Shank drove in two more runs on a two-run single to left field to give Marist a 5-3 lead. Zach Passerelle earned a sacrifice fly to push the score to 6-3.

Marist added to its lead in the top of the ninth when Shank drove a home run to left field to make it 7-3. Shank finished with three hits, five RBI and a home run in the victory. 

Bielak improved to 2-1 with the win and Evan Davis picked up the save in relief. Junior Dylan Thompson (Snow Camp, N.C./Guilford Technical CC) earned the loss falling to 1-2 on the season. 

Wolfe finished the game 2-for-5 with a run scored, while junior Cambric Moye (Goldsboro, N.C./Eastern Wayne) also had two hits. 

The second game of the series is set to begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. 

-UNCG-