WILMINGTON, N.C. – The UNCG baseball team wraps up its Spring Break trip this weekend with four games at UNCW's Brooks Field. The Spartans will play a pair of contests against both UNCW and Columbia.
The Blue and Gold opens the set Friday at 2 p.m. versus the host Seahawks before continuing the weekend Saturday at noon against Columbia and at 4 p.m. vs. UNCW. UNCG will tussle with Columbia in the final game Sunday at 11 a.m.
The Spartans kicked off their road swing with an 8-1 loss at East Carolina Wednesday evening. UNCG pitchers walked seven Pirate batters while Travis Watkins provided a grand slam to highlight a seven-run ECU sixth inning. East Carolina netted six two-out runs in the frame to take control of the proceedings.
Senior outfielder Zac MacAneney went 1-for-3 in the game to extend his hitting streak to seven while junior infielder Collin Woody was held hitless to snap a six-game streak. Leading the way offensively for UNCG was senior outfielder Nick Chapman as he went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Sophomore catcher Jake Kusz and senior outfielder Tyler Long also chipped in with two hits apiece.
UNCG is 5-9 overall entering the weekend and is still searching for its first road win – holding a 0-5 mark in games away from the UNCG Baseball Stadium. Moreover, the Spartans are just 1-3 in neutral site affairs. The Seahawks are 10-4 overall and are receiving votes in many of the national polls having won a series against then No. 13 Maryland last weekend at home. The Lions come in with a 2-5 ledger but have played all of their games against Top 10 opponents. Columbia split four contests at then No. 3 Houston to open its season before suffering a sweep last weekend at then No. 9 UCF.
BITS AND PIECES: After putting together double-digit hits in just two of its first nine contests, UNCG has turned the trick in four of its last six outings ... The Spartans are nearly halfway to matching their home run total from last season (25), hitting 11 so far this campaign ... MacAneney has a current team-long seven-game hitting streak ... UNCG has three players who have hit in the same spot in the lineup for all 14 games - MacAneney (leadoff), Long (second) and freshman infielder Tripp Shelton (ninth) ... In five home games this season, the Spartans are hitting .341 with a slugging mark of .634. UNCG is also perfect defensively with no errors in those contests ... The Spartan pitching staff has struck out 10 or more batters in four games, including three of the last six ... UNCG has not made an error defensively in five-straight contests.
UP NEXT: UNCG returns home Tuesday, March 17 for the first of two-straight game against NC State. The Spartans will host the Wolfpack at 6 p.m. before making the return trip to Raleigh at 6 p.m. Wednesday. NCSU won the first meeting 4-2 Feb. 28 in Savannah, Ga.
Follow the UNCG baseball team all season by logging on to www.uncgspartans.com and following the Spartans' official Twitter accounts @uncgbaseball/@uncgsports.
