GREENSBORO, N.C. – After having its non-conference contest at Duke postponed Tuesday, the UNCG baseball team continues play Wednesday against former Southern Conference rival Elon at Latham Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
The Spartans enter the contest with a 2-3 record after a 1-2 showing over the weekend at the Keith LeClair Classic in Greenville, N.C. UNCG lost to host East Carolina 8-3 and preseason Big East favorite St. John's 4-0 but did record a 6-5 victory over No. 24 Liberty - scoring five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally past the Flames.
Senior outfielder Zac MacAneney (Gibsonville, N.C./Virginia Tech) leads the Blue and Gold with a .421 batting average (minimum 10 at bats) through five games and has hit safely in each contest. Senior utility man Aaron Wright (Asheville, N.C./Chattanooga State) is second at .357 and tied for the team lead in doubles with junior infielder Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) with three. UNCG is batting .262 as a team – good for sixth in the Southern Conference.
Elon is 4-2 early this season after a sweep of Penn State, a win over High Point and a pair of losses to Ball State. The Phoenix leads the all-time series over the Spartans 32-15 but the Blue and Gold recorded a three-game SoCon sweep of Elon last season by scores of 5-1, 12-3 and 13-4 in Greensboro.
Joey Tomko leads a Phoenix offense that is hitting the ball well so far this season. His .444 batting average paces four Elon batters who are hitting .400 or better through six games. As a team, the Phoenix is batting .356 with 51 runs scored, 15 doubles and four home runs. The Elon pitching staff checks in with a 6.50 earned run average.
UNCG will send sophomore LHP Julian Abreu (0-0, 0.00) (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian) to the mound for his first collegiate start while Elon will counter with sophomore RHP Matt Harris (0-0, 27.07).
