GREENSBORO, N.C. – Following the cancellation of its home series with Akron, the UNCG baseball team will instead head south this weekend for three games at historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Ga. The venue is home to the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League of which the Greensboro Grasshoppers are a member.
The Spartans will face off against Charlotte and NC State Saturday and Sunday. UNCG takes on the 49ers at 11 a.m. and the Wolfpack at 3 p.m. Saturday before closing out the weekend with another contest against NCSU Sunday at 11 a.m.
The Blue and Gold was to face Akron in a home series, but the recent winter weather and resulting field conditions prompted the schedule change.
Charlotte is 1-2 in the early going, losing two of three to Akron at home last weekend. The Spartans will send junior RHP Ryan Clark (1-1, 7.20) to the mound against the 49ers while Charlotte will throw redshirt sophomore LHP J.D. Prochaska (1-0, 0.00). Eddie Hull and Hunter Jones pace the 49er offensive attack with identical batting averages of .333. As a team, Charlotte has a 1.44 earned run average and is hitting a collective .186. The 49ers were picked 11th in the Conference USA preseason poll.
ACC member NC State brings a 4-2 overall mark into the weekend with wins over Villanova, Davidson, Florida International and North Carolina A&T and losses to Albany and Coastal Carolina. The Blue and Gold will pit senior RHP Brennen James (0-1, 0.00) against freshman LHP Brian Brown (1-0, 1.50). Preston Palmeiro is hitting a stout .522 through six games to lead a NCSU offense that is batting .305 collectively. The Wolfpack pitching staff sports a 4.33 earned run average.
Charlotte leads the all-time series with UNCG 11-6. The teams last met April 16, 2002 when the Spartans picked up a 13-12 victory over the visiting 49ers.
The Blue and Gold last played NC State March 19, 2013 with UNCG recording an 8-5 victory in 11 innings over the then No. 16 Wolfpack. NCSU leads the all-time series by a 23-7 margin.
After the weekend, the Spartans are back in action Tuesday as they return home and welcome Wake Forest to the UNCG Baseball Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
