BOX SCORE (PDF)
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The UNCG baseball team led for the majority of its game Wednesday at Campbell, but the Camels plated five runs in the eighth inning to walk away with a 10-7 nonconference victory at Jim Perry Stadium. The Spartans fall to 18-23 overall while Campbell improves its record to 37-8.
Senior outfielder Christian Wolfe recorded a hit in the game to extend his hitting streak to 18 games while also driving in three runs. A trio of UNCG players tallied multiple hit contests. Junior LHP Dylan Hathcock was tagged with the loss, giving up five runs on four hits while striking out two.
The Spartans broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the second as senior infielder Lloyd Enzor laced a single to center field before sophomore outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch reached on an error by the Campbell first baseman – allowing Enzor to move to third. Senior outfielder Zach Leach hit a fly ball to center which scored Enzor, then, with two away, freshman catcher Jake Hall ripped a single to left which brought home Kalbfleisch from second base for a 2-0 UNCG advantage.
A one-out single began things for the Camels in the bottom of the second as Elijah Trail poked one through the left side. He would advance to second on a wild pitch before consecutive singles brought him home. Campbell had more chances to do damage in the frame, but with two outs, Spartan starter RHP Brennen James struck out John Reilly to terminate the threat.
Thompson came on to pitch the third inning and gave up three-straight singles, allowing the Camels to tie the contest. He was spelled by sophomore LHP Caleb Henley who almost escaped without giving up the go ahead run, but Henley walked Trail with the bases loaded to make the score 3-2.
The Blue and Gold put a runner into scoring position in the top of the fourth as a two-out single by senior infielder TJ Spina put Leach at second base. Leach would steal third base with Hall up to the plate and Hall battled through to a full count and walked to load the bases.
Redshirt freshman infielder Nin Marrero had an opportunity to knot the score or give the Spartans the lead and he came through, hitting a hot shot to the third baseman who did not have time to nab Spina at his base and allowed Leach to cross home safely. That kept the inning going for Wolfe, who crushed a bases-clearing triple off the center field wall to give UNCG a 6-3 lead.
Campbell had an answer in the bottom of the frame, rallying with two outs. Ben McQuown was hit by a pitch then stole second base. After Brent Graham struck out swinging, Michael Felton doubled to center to score the runner and make the score 6-4. David Olson then walked, bringing up Trail again, but he was robbed of a hit by Leach in center field who made a great grab to end the inning.
The scoring pace slowed considerably from there as the Camels scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Olson. The Spartans were able to answer, however, as Edwards singled with one out and moved to third on a single by Enzor. Kalbfleisch then hustled down to first on a ground ball and beat the throw to plate Edwards and re-establish UNCG's two-run cushion.
The Camels loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth and took advantage, scoring five runs in the inning. The big blow came via a grand slam by pinch hitter Blake Boyce with one out.
The Spartans went down in order in the top of the ninth to end the contest.
UNCG returns home this weekend for a three-game Southern Conference series against league leader Western Carolina. The set begins Friday, April 26 with a 6 p.m. first pitch.
- UNCG -
