GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG baseball team split a pair of games with The Citadel Saturday claiming the first contest 5-4 in walkoff fashion before coming up just short in the second game 8-7. The Spartans are now 17-18 overall and 8-7 in the Southern Conference while the Bulldogs move to 17-20 and 3-9.

With three SoCon series left on the schedule, UNCG is currently in a three-way tie for third place with Western Carolina and Wofford. The Spartans own the tiebreaker over the Catamounts thanks to a series win to open league play while the Blue and Gold will host the Terriers in two weeks. The Spartans have won three of their five league series thus far.

Game One

A two-out walkoff home run by junior infielder Collin Woody proved the difference in the twinbill opener as UNCG scored two of the last three runs in the game to clinch the series.

Junior LHP Bryant Stafford was credited with the win and improved to 3-1 after throwing just a third of an inning and striking out the only batter he faced in the top of the ninth. Skylar Hunter dropped to 2-5 with the loss allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts. He entered the game with the chance to set the SoCon record for career saves.

Woody ended the game 3-for-5 with a run scored and a RBI while senior outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two driven in. Senior outfielder Tyler Long also contributed a pair of hits. Connor Walsh and Steven Hansen recorded two hits apiece for the Bulldogs.

UNCG loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second and threatened to break the game open early, but a double play ended the inning. The Citadel put a runner in scoring position in the top of the third with no outs but Spartan starter freshman RHP Andrew Wantz notched two groundouts and a fly ball out to escape unscathed.

The Bulldogs broke on top in the top of the fifth on a Mike Deese RBI single but UNCG quickly responded in the bottom of the frame as Kalbfleisch doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a RBI single by freshman Devin Ruiz.

The Citadel grabbed the lead right back in the top of the sixth on a leadoff home run by Walsh and added another run on a two-out Hansen RBI single. With two outs and Woody on first in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore catcher Jake Kusz drew a walk before Kalbfleisch ripped a double to right field scoring Woody and Kusz to tie the score once more.

A Stephen Windham RBI single put the Bulldogs back in front in the top of the seventh but the Spartans could not answer after the stretch. UNCG would tie the game again, however, in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a one-out solo long ball by senior infielder Aaron Wright.

After the visitors failed to score in the top of the ninth, Hunter retired the first two Spartans but would not do so with Woody as he cranked a ball deep over the center field fence to win the game.

Game Two

The Citadel jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the nightcap but had to hold on as UNCG scored seven of the last eight runs of the contest. The Spartans out-hit the Bulldogs 17-11 but left 14 runners on base.

Freshman RHP Michael Bates dropped to 0-3 after surrendering six runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings pitched. Senior LHP Blair Betts allowed two runs on four hits in 3 2/3 innings of relief. Kevin Connell was credited with the win and improved to 1-1 as he threw the first three innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. Connell did not walk or strike out any batters. The Citadel used six pitchers in relief while junior RHP Keaton Haack and Stafford limited the Bulldogs to just one hit in the final four innings.

Senior infielder Hunter King went 4-for-6 in the game with three RBI and two runs scored and Kalbfliesch was 3-for-5 with a run scored. Woody and Wright also notched multi-hit efforts with two base knocks each. Walsh was 3-for-5 with a run scored and a RBI to lead the Bulldogs.

The Citadel exploded for seven runs on eight hits and two UNCG errors in the first two innings before a Ruiz RBI single trimmed the Bulldog lead to 7-1. A Woody RBI single and a Kusz sacrifice fly pulled the Spartans to within 7-3 before Johnathan Stokes stretched the Citadel lead back to five runs with a sac fly of his own in the top of the fourth.

The Blue and Gold had a great chance to cut into the deficit even more in the bottom of the fifth as two singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one away. However, a strikeout and a groundout terminated the threat. A King single and a wild pitch put the senior in scoring position with one away in the bottom of the sixth but he was left stranded.

Freshman infielder Tripp Shelton tallied a RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to make it a four-run contest before the Spartans mounted another rally in the bottom of the eighth. Woody and Wright singled with one out and moved to second and third on a wild pitch with two away. However, a strikeout ended the inning without a UNCG run.

After Stafford retired the Bulldogs in order in the top of the ninth, sophomore Ryne Sigmon drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth. Senior outfielder Nick Chapman then pinch hit for Shelton and delivered a single through the right side that allowed Sigmon to reach third. After a strikeout accounted for the second out, King took a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left field that cut the UNCG deficit to just one at 8-7. Woody, the hero of game one, then stepped up to the plate looking to tie the contest but flied out to center to end it.

The Spartans close their homestand Tuesday hosting former Southern Conference rival Elon. First pitch is scheduled for 6 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.