LEXINGTON, Va. – UNCG scored the final seven runs of the game Sunday to erase a five-run deficit on the way to a 13-11 extra inning victory over VMI in the series finale at Gray-Minor Stadium.

The Spartans averted the series sweep improving to 22-24 overall and ending SoCon play with a 12-12 mark. The Keydets dropped to 17-27 and 10-11. The 12 wins in league play are the most for the program since 2011 and the most in the three-year tenure of head coach Link Jarrett. The Blue and Gold also ended the conference season without being on either end of a sweep for the first time since 2007 as the Spartans defeated every team in the league at least once.

The story of the day was junior Collin Woody who affected the game positively both at the plate and on the mound. At the dish, he went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI including his ninth home run of the season. Woody also earned his first victory of the season improving to 1-0 after tossing the final four innings and allowing no runs on just five hits with three strikeouts. Blaine Laflin dropped to 0-2 with the loss after surrendering two runs on two hits. He did not record an out.

Senior Eric Kalbfleisch had a career day at the plate with five hits in six at bats. He reached base six times in the game after also getting hit by a pitch. Classmate Aaron Wright notched a three-hit day as he and Kalbfleisch extended respective hitting streaks to 13 games apiece. The duo also combined for five runs scored and three RBI.  Will Connerley and Tyler Tharp posted three hits each to lead VMI.

The Spartans racked up 22 hits in the game – the most in the Jarrett era and the most since UNCG tallied 24 in an 11-8 victory over Davidson March 13, 2004.

A one-out home run by senior Hunter King in the top of the first staked UNCG to an early 1-0 advantage but VMI responded with a tally of its own in the home half off of a bases loaded fielder's choice play.

Kalbfleisch singled on the infield to lead off the top of the second and moved up a base on a Jake Kusz sac bunt. Senior Tyler Long then put down a bunt single. With runners on the corners, freshman Devin Ruiz sent a sharp single through the right side that plated Kalbfleisch and gave the Spartans a 2-1 advantage.

A leadoff walk and a double led to a big inning for VMI as the Keydets scored three runs on just one hit and an error to pull ahead 4-2. UNCG kept it close in the top of the third when Wright knocked one out of the park to make it a 4-3 contest.

VMI began to pull away in the middle innings, scoring five runs over the fourth and sixth frames to stake itself to an 11-6 lead.

After a leadoff home run by Woody in the top of the seventh, the Blue and Gold loaded the bases with two outs. VMI benefitted from a little luck at that point as senior Zac MacAneney sent a grounder up the middle that deflected off the pitcher's glove and found its way to second base where Stallings threw to first for the final out.

Wright tallied a single with one out in the top of the eighth before Woody followed with a double down the left field line. Kalbfleisch then stepped up and ripped a double to left center to score Wright and Woody and pull the Spartans within 11-9. Freshman Zach Almond delivered with an infield single to put runners on the corners and a wild pitch saw Kalbfleisch race home and make it a one-run contest. Senior Tyler Long drew a subsequent walk before freshman Austin Embler worked a walk of his own to load the bases. UNCG benefitted from another miscue with freshman Tripp Shelton at the plate as a passed ball brought Almond home for the tying run. The Spartans could not push the go-ahead run across though as a pair of strikeouts ended the threat.

Connerley doubled to begin the bottom of the eighth but Woody dug down and induced two groundouts along with a strikeout of Brandon Angus to keep the Keydets off of the scoreboard.

After UNCG did not score in the top of the ninth despite loading the bases, VMI mounted a rally in the home half in an attempt to end the game. Jordan Tarsovich drew a walk with one out and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt with two down. The Spartans walked Matt Winn intentionally putting runners on the corners, but Woody came up with another big strikeout to send the game to extras.

The Spartans wasted little time in the top of the 10th as they loaded the bases with no outs after a Embler single, Shelton infield single and MacAneney sac bunt attempt on which he reached first due to a fielding error. King came through with a RBI single and Woody added a sacrifice fly to put UNCG on top by two.

In the home half, the Keydets led off with a pair of singles before a sac bunt moved the runners into scoring position. They would stay there however as Woody worked a foul out and fanned Will Malbon looking to end the contest.

The Blue and Gold closes the regular season with a pair of games against Big South member Gardner-Webb. The teams will play a home-and-home series with UNCG hosting the Runnin' Bulldogs Thursday before heading up to Boiling Springs Friday. Both contests are scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.

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