GAME ONE BOX SCORE (PDF) | GAME TWO BOX SCORE (PDF)
DAVIDSON, N.C. – The UNCG baseball team downed Davidson in game one of the teams' doubleheader Saturday at Wilson Field before the Wildcats held off a Spartan rally in game two and took it by a 5-4 score.
The Blue and Gold is now 18-21 overall and 6-11 in league play while Davidson moves to 11-26 and 6-14.
Game One
The Spartans jumped ahead 2-0 in the first two innings thanks to a RBI groundout by redshirt freshman infielder Nin Marrero and a sacrifice fly for sophomore outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch. Redshirt sophomore infielder Ray Crawford and Spina accounted for the runs, scoring from third on both plays.
UNCG would extend its lead to four runs in the fourth as senior outfielder Zach Leach ripped a leadoff home run to deep center before Spina followed with a double to left. He would steal third and score when senior infielder Lloyd Enzor grounded out to third.
Davidson responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on two hits, but the Spartans answered right back in the fifth. Senior infielder Trevor Edwards led off with a double, but was thrown out at third on a fielder's choice play with junior catcher Cambric Moye at the dish. Moye advanced to second when Kalbfleisch reached on an error by the Wildcat shortstop. Leach then singled on the infield to load the bases. Spina came through with one out, scoring Moye on a RBI single. Enzor drew a bases loaded walk in UNCG's next at bat, extending the Spartan lead to 4-0 before Marrero grounded into a double play to end the inning.
A RBI double by Ryan Lowe scored two runs for Davidson in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the UNCG advantage to 6-4, but the Spartans had the answer yet again. With two away in the top of the seventh and Spina on base, Enzor tagged a ball and drove it over the left field fence for a two-run shot which made the score 8-4.
The UNCG pitching staff held the Wildcats to a single run in the seventh and eighth frames and would carry an 8-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Freshman RHP Ryan Clark came on in a save attempt but quickly got into trouble. Michael Zeblo led off with a single before Andrew Barna flew out to right field. Lowe would single through the right side to set up Davidson with runners on first and second with one out.
Forrest Brandt drove in a run with a RBI single to score Zeblo and make the score 8-6. Clark was able to induce a fielder's choice and force out at third for the second out which brought Nathan Becker to the dish. Clark worked the count to 0-2 before Becker got a hold of the ball and crushed it to right field. However, senior outfielder Christian Wolfe saved the game for UNCG with a leaping catch at the wall to end the game in the Spartans' favor.
Spina ended the game a career-best 4-for-5 at the dish with three runs scored and a RBI while a trio of other UNCG batters tallied multiple base knocks. Enzor added three RBI as the Spartans racked up 13 hits in the contest.
Sophomore RHP Max Povse earned his third win of the season and second in three starts. He hurled six innings, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out seven. Clark earned his first career save by getting through the ninth inning after allowing three hits.
Game Two
A sacrifice fly in the second inning by Leach which scored Moye proved to be the only run through three and a half innings in game two. However, things went awry for the Spartans in the bottom of the fourth as senior LHP starter Corey Taylor walked the leadoff man then hit the next batter. He looked to have a force out at third when Becker bunted the ball to the mound, but Taylor threw wide of the base and into the UNCG bullpen to bring two runs across. Lee Miller then laced a single to center to score Becker and make it a 3-1 ball game.
After the Spartans failed to answer in the top of the fifth, Davidson took advantage and plated a two-out run on a RBI single by Brandt to establish a 4-1 cushion.
The Blue and Gold finally found some offense in the seventh, plating two runs on three hits to pull within 4-3. Wolfe delivered a RBI double to left to extend his hitting streak to 16 games before Edwards followed with a RBI single to plate Wolfe. Moye drew a two-out walk but Kalbfleisch flew out to center to end the threat.
Spartan reliever LHP Caleb Henley could not keep the Wildcats from adding to their edge in the seventh as Barna roped a RBI double to right center to score Ryan Daniels and push the score to 5-3. Senior RHP Vattuone received some help from his middle infield as Marrero and Spina made some solid fielding plays to keep runners stranded at second and third.
Davidson loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, looking to put the game away, but sophomore RHP Tyler Frazier entered for Vattuone and got two big strikeouts to keep UNCG within shouting distance.
The Spartans made it interesting in the ninth, using an Edwards RBI single to plate Wolfe after he doubled with one out to make it a one-run contest. A pair of walks filled the bases for Leach and he was able to battle the count full but grounded out to second as the Wildcats escaped with the victory.
UNCG racked up nine hits in the contest, but was done in by a pair of costly errors. Taylor fell to 0-5 on the season, giving up four runs (one earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts. Henley would be tagged with the eventual winning run which scored in the seventh. Edwards drove in two runs while Wolfe and Leach also tallied RBIs in the game.
The Spartans and Wildcats will play the rubber game of the series Sunday at Wilson Field with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
- UNCG -
