BOX SCORE (PDF)
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The UNCG baseball team led 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth Sunday at College of Charleston, but the Cougars plated two runs in the ninth and 10th innings to escape with a 3-2 victory at Patriots Point.
Sophomore Tyler Frazier gave up extra base hits to lead off the ninth and 10th frames, taking the loss to drop his record to 1-3. He pitched one and a third innings, giving up three hits. Starter and sophomore RHP Lee Gilliam had a brilliant outing, throwing seven and two-thirds innings – allowing just one earned run on four hits with seven strikeouts.
Senior infielder Trevor Edwards was one of three UNCG players with two hits while he also recorded the team's lone RBI. Classmate and outfielder Christian Wolfe scored both of the squad's runs while also extending his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the eighth.
The Spartans put up the first real threat of the game in the top of the second as Kalbfleisch led off with a single and Enzor was hit by a pitch. The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch with two outs, but Marrero struck out looking to keep the contest scoreless.
College of Charleston tried to capitalize in the bottom of the third, putting runners on first and second with one out. However, a flyout and looking strikeout allowed Gilliam to escape with no damage. UNCG would not be as fortunate in the fourth as with one away, Ben Boykin drove a pitch over the right field fence to give the home side a 1-0 advantage.
After Gilliam worked a scoreless fifth, Wolfe drew a leadoff walk in the top of the sixth and moved to third on a single to right field by redshirt sophomore infielder Ray Crawford. Edwards grounded into a double play in his at bat, but it was enough to score Wolfe from third and tie the game at one.
The Spartans had a prime opportunity to score in the seventh, but with Leach at second after a one-out double down the left field line, senior infielder TJ Spina struck out and Enzor flew out to center to end the threat.
Some big-time at bats in the eighth led to a run for UNCG as Wolfe and Crawford recorded one-out singles with one out in the inning. Edwards worked a full count and won the battle as he lined one over the shortstop's head to score Wolfe and make it a 2-1 game. Moye lined into a double play to end the frame.
Gilliam recorded the first two outs of the bottom of the eighth before he was relieved by sophomore LHP Caleb Henley. Henley walked Brandon Murray but got Boykin to ground out to short on a nice play by Spina to keep College of Charleston off the board.
After the Spartans wasted a leadoff double by Kalbfleisch in the ninth, the Cougars greeted Frazier with a triple by Carl Wise. Frazier then unleashed a wild pitch to score the runner and tie the game at two. He bore down after that, getting a groundout and two strikeouts to send the game to extras.
Frazier gave up his second extra base hit of the contest to lead off the 10th as Alex Pastorius ripped a double down the left field line. Blake Butler then put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third before Gunnar Heidt roped a single to center to score the game-winning run.
UNCG returns to the diamond Tuesday, April 9 when the Spartans travel to Durham for a nonconference game with Duke. First pitch at Jack Coombs Field is set for 6 p.m.
- UNCG -
