JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – UNCG built a three-run lead through three innings of play Saturday and held on to defeat ETSU 7-5 to clinch a Southern Conference series inside Thomas Stadium.

The Spartans won their fourth-straight game and third consecutive in league play to improve to 12-12 overall and 4-1 in SoCon play. With the loss, the Bucs fall to 11-14 and 0-5. The 4-1 start to its Southern Conference schedule is the first for UNCG since the 2011 season and best in the Link Jarrett era. In 2011, the Blue and Gold finished second in the league standings.

The Spartan bullpen was lights out in the game, limiting ETSU to just one run on five hits over the final five innings. Senior RHP Tyler Frazier (2-0) was credited with the win as he tossed 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings while striking out four batters. Junior LHP Bryant Stafford notched his second save of the weekend as he allowed one run on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts in the final inning. Lee Haeberle dropped to 2-4 after surrendering seven runs on seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Offensively, senior infielder Hunter King continued his monster weekend with a 2-for-4 performance. He scored two runs and drove in four via a pair of two-run home runs. King now has the team lead with five long balls – three of which he has recorded this weekend. Senior outfielder Zac MacAneney tallied a single in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to 14 games while he also scored three runs.

MacAneney worked a walk to lead off the game. Then, with two outs and MacAneney on second, senior infielder Aaron Wright hit a sharp single to left that allowed MacAneney to score and give the Spartans an early 1-0 advantage. ETSU mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the first as Kevin Phillips drew a walk and Hagen Owenby singled. However, UNCG starter Brennen James got Andrew Lasure to fly out to left to end the frame.

With one out in the top of the second, freshman Devin Ruiz doubled to right field and moved to third on a groundout. Freshman infielder Shelton then sent a ball to deep right field but Zach Thompson made a catch on the run to retire the side.

The Blue and Gold added to the lead in the top of the third as MacAneney singled up the middle to lead things off. King followed with a home run to extend the Spartan lead to 3-0. UNCG was not done, however. Junior infielder Collin Woody drew a walk and Wright pounded out a ground rule double to put runners at second and third with still no outs on the board. Junior catcher Jake Hall followed with a RBI single to center and Wright came home on a double play to leave the Spartans with a 5-0 lead.

The Bucs responded in the bottom of the third with consecutive home runs from Chris Cook and Trey York to trim UNCG's lead to three runs. James recovered nicely though and induced two groundouts to escape further damage.

Consecutive base hits, a single and a double, to lead off the bottom of the fourth had ETSU threatening again. The Bucs cashed in with a sacrifice fly and a RBI single that sliced the Spartan advantage to a single run at 5-4. James picked off York at first to end the frame, leaving UNCG in the lead heading to the fifth. ETSU menaced once more in the bottom of the sixth, getting runners to the corners with two outs. Frazier came on to face York and produced a huge strikeout to get the Spartans out of the inning unscathed.

King continued his monster weekend in the top of the seventh with two outs, lining his second home run of the day over the wall in dead center – a two-run shot that plated MacAneney and afforded the Blue and Gold a 7-4 lead.

The Bucs made one last charge in the bottom of the ninth as with one out and no runners on, three-straight singles plated a run and sliced the UNCG advantage to 7-5. Owenby drew a walk to load the bases, but Stafford slammed the door shut with a strikeout and flyout to seal the win.

The teams will play the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.

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