BOX SCORE (PDF)

GREENSBORO, N.C. – After spotting Appalachian State a 5-2 lead Saturday, the UNCG baseball team scored four unanswered runs and used a squeeze bunt by sophomore outfielder Zac MacAneney in the 11^th inning to plate the winning run and take the game 6-5 at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. 

The Spartans evened the series with the Mountaineers and improved their record to 17-18 overall and 5-9 in league play. Appalachian State falls to 19-11 and 9-7. The Blue and Gold also moved to 3-1 in extra inning affairs. 

UNCG received a great effort at the dish from sophomore outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch as he was 3-for-5 with two RBI as well as scoring the winning run on MacAneney's squeeze. Senior outfielder Christian Wolfe extended his hitting streak to 12 games in a 3-for-5 performance as he also drove in a run. The Spartans also saw senior outfielder Zach Leach and MacAneney tally three hits in the contest. UNCG rapped out 16 hits as a team, just one shy of its season high. 

Freshman RHP Ryan Clark earned the win on the bump, improving to 3-1 in his rookie season. He threw the final three innings, allowing just one hit and keeping Appalachian State off the scoreboard. Josh Wilson took the loss for the visitors, giving up one run on six hits in two and two-thirds innings. 

Hector Crespo began the game as he did last night's contest, with an extra base hit. He doubled before Dillon Dobson walked. Jaylin Davis came through for his team with a RBI double to make it 1-0 before Will Callaway snuck a ball under second base to score two more runs. Preston Tiller wrapped up the scoring in the top of the first with a RBI double to give the Mountaineers a 4-0 lead. 

The Spartans responded in the bottom of the first as Wolfe led off with a single to left. Redshirt freshman infielder Ray Crawford then walked before junior catcher Cambric Moye drew a walk of his own with one out. With the bases loaded, Kalbfleisch flied out to left, scoring Wolfe and cutting the Appalachian State lead to 4-1. Leach followed with a RBI single to plate Crawford and make it 4-2 after a complete inning. 

After a scoreless second, Callaway was able to score on a wild pitch from UNCG sophomore reliever Tyler Frazier. The Mountaineers would not get anything else in the inning, however. 

A walk to senior infielder Trevor Edwards and a single by Moye put runners at the corners for the Spartans for Kalbfleisch. He would reach on a fielder's choice which was good enough to plate Edwards from third and slice the ASU advantage to 5-3. 

Things settled down a bit until the sixth inning. Senior infielder TJ Spina singled on the infield and stole second before moving to third on a groundout by redshirt freshman infielder Nin Marrero. Spina would score on a wild pitch with Wolfe at the plate as UNCG drew within 5-4 before the inning came to a close. 

A big balk call in the bottom of the eighth proved beneficial for the Spartans as Spina reached on a fielder's choice with one out and moved to second on the balk. Wolfe came through big time for UNCG with his third hit of the contest which plated Spina from second base and tied the contest. Crawford followed with a single after a pitching change, but Edwards grounded out to end the threat. 

The Blue and Gold had a great chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases for Marrero on three hits. However, he grounded out to third to send the contest to extras. 

Clark was brilliant in the 10^th and 11^th innings as he did not allow a hit and walked just one batter. The Spartans went down in order in the 10^th frame, but Kalbfleisch roped a one-out single to right in the 11^th before he stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch which was also the fourth ball to Leach – putting the senior on first. On the first pitch to MacAneney, Kalbfleisch took off from third and crossed home easily to win the game on the textbook squeeze bunt by MacAneney. 

UNCG and Appalachian State will play the rubber game of the series Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. 

- UNCG -