GREENVILLE, N.C. – Down to its final out Saturday evening, the UNCG baseball team scored two runs on a wild pitch to cap a furious ninth inning rally that saw the Spartans down No. 24 Liberty 6-5 in the third game of the Keith LeClair Classic inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Blue and Gold scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to secure the comeback victory.

The win was the first over a nationally-ranked opponent for UNCG since March 29, 2013 when the Spartans beat No. 22 Georgia Southern 10-6 to clinch a Southern Conference series. The Blue and Gold has now captured four victories over nationally ranked opponents in head coach Link Jarrett's two-plus season tenure.

In his first collegiate appearance, freshman RHP Andrew Wantz (1-0) picked up the victory after throwing a scoreless top of the ninth. UNCG was bolstered by senior RHP Brennen James who started the contest and threw a career-high 5.2 innings. He allowed two unearned runs and struck out three. Ashton Perritt (0-1) took the loss for the Flames as he was touched up for five runs in just 1.2 innings pitched.

Senior outfielder Tyler Long paced the UNCG offense with three hits in five at bats, including a run scored and a RBI. Freshman infielder Ryne Sigmon came up with his first collegiate hit in the ninth inning and it was a big one – a two-run triple to keep the rally alive. Freshman outfielder Devin Ruiz also delivered a 2-for-4 performance with two runs scored in the designated hitter spot.

The teams zipped through the first four innings with UNCG notching the only two hits in the frames. The Spartans had a chance to strike first in the bottom of the fourth, but a leadoff bunt single by Long went by the wayside.

Liberty took advantage of a two-out defensive miscue in the top of the fifth, scoring two subsequent unearned runs on a two-run single by Nick Salisbury. UNCG would answer in the bottom of the frame, however, as Ruiz began the rally with a doubled with a one-out double and moved to third on a sac bunt by freshman infielder Tripp Shelton. Senior outfielder Zac MacAneney then drew a walk and Long followed with a RBI single to cut the Spartan deficit to 2-1.

After senior LHP Blair Betts came on and produced a big strikeout to end the top of the sixth, the Blue and Gold had a chance in the bottom of the frame to take the lead. However, with the bases loaded and one away, Ruiz grounded into a double play to terminate the threat.

The Flames looked to put the game away in the top of the eighth, scoring three runs on three hits to push ahead 5-1. UNCG had other ideas though. After Wantz' scoreless top of the ninth, senior infielder Aaron Wright flied out to begin the bottom of the frame. Junior catcher Jake Hall then singled to left before Ruiz poked a single to right. Sigmon came on to pinch hit and smashed a ball to the wall in right for the two-run triple that sliced the Liberty advantage to 5-3. MacAneney followed with an infield single that plated Sigmon and pulled the Spartans within a run. Long kept the inning going with a single and he advanced to second base on a throw to third trying to nab MacAneney. With both runners now in scoring position, senior infielder Hunter King struck out swinging for the second out.

The Flames decided to intentionally walk senior outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch to load the bases. Junior infielder Collin Woody then stepped aside and watched as Perritt unleashed a wild pitch to the backstop that bounced away from the catcher and allowed the tying and winning runs to score.

UNCG closes out its participation in the Keith LeClair Classic Sunday morning, squaring off against St. John's at 11 a.m.

Follow the UNCG baseball team all season by logging on to www.uncgspartans.com and following the Spartans' official Twitter accounts @uncgbaseball/@uncgsports.