UNCG and HPU had a similar series scheduled to open the 2015 season, until weather cancelled one of the games.  The two teams split the games, with each team winning on its home field.  The Spartans welcome 17 new faces to the team this season, and welcome the return of 14 letter winner's from last year's squad.  The 2015 UNCG Spartans hit for a .299 clip, and belted 58 home runs, the third-most in a single season in school history. 

The Spartans and Panthers will meet three times over the weekend.  Friday's game will be played at Willard Stadium at 4:00 p.m., with Saturday's game being the home opener for the Spartans.  Saturday's game time is set for 2:00 p.m. The series finale is set for Sunday, back at Willard Stadium at 1:00 p.m.

Probable Rotation

Friday - Hunter Smith (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Scot Hoffman (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Smith is fresh off a redshirt season after transferring in from Gardner-Webb.  Hoffman started seven games in 2015, with seven more appearances out of the bullpen.  Hoffman recorded a 2-4 record and a 5.96 ERA

Saturday - Bryce Hensley (0-0, 0.00 ERA vs. Andre Scrubb (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Hensley, like Smith will be starting his first game as a Spartan.  Scrubb was 6-1 in 19 appearances in 2015.  Scrubb made only three starts but does have a complete game under his belt.

Sunday - Matt Frisbee (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. TBA

Freshman Matt Frisbee will be making his first start for the Spartans on Sunday.  The 6-5, 230 pound righty will look to start his career off on the right foot. 

A Little History -- High Point

The Spartans and Panthers have met a total of 25 times, with UNCG holding a 16-9 advantage over the Panthers.  Under Link Jarrett, the Spartans are 1-2 against the Panthers.   Last year, the same two teams met on opening weekend, using a similar split series format.  Due to weather, there was only two games played, with the teams each winning on their home field. 

Scouting the Panthers

High Point finished the 2015 season 29-26 and were 14-10 in the Big South, good for a fifth place finish.  The 29 wins, marks the third-straight season with at least 29 wins.  In 55 games, HPU hit for a .283 average and held opponents to a .255 average. The Panthers pitching staff struck out a total of 425 hitters.  HPU swiped a total of 68 bases in 2015, while allowing only 30, and threw out 19 runners. 

Notable returning hitters for the Panthers include Josh Greene, Chris Clare and Carson Jackson.  Greene led the team with a .355 average in his 51 games played.  The Junior outfielder led the team with 66 hits, and seven home runs.  His 37 RBI were also a team best, and his 99 total bases were the most of any Panther.  Greene also swiped 13 bases in 2015, the only Panther to record double-digit steals.  Chris Clare started 47 games, and played in 48 total.  Clare hit for a .296 average, while playing in the infield.  Clare hit for extra bases nine times in his 48 total hits, adding six doubles and three home runs en route to a 29 RBI season.  Clare was also a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen bases.  Carson Jackson started 51 games and made two appearances off the bench.  The sophomore outfielder racked up a .311 average and tied for a team-high in doubles, with 13. 

On the mound, the Panthers are looking for some of their primary bullpen pitchers from 2015 to take a prominent role at the start of games in 2016.  Scot Hoffman and Andre Scrubb are penciled in as the projected starters for Friday and Saturday, respectively.  Hoffman has the most starts of any returning player, starting in seven of his 14 appearances from 2015.  The redshirt senior earned a 2-4 record and a 5.96 ERA in his 48.1 innings of work.  The right-hander showed great control, fanning 40 pitchers and walking just 12 all year.  Andre Scrubb will look to improve off of an impressive season in the bullpen.  Scrubb earned a 6-1 record and a 2.50 ERA working in 19 games, including three starts.  Scrubb was one of two Panthers that tossed a complete game and earned a save during the season.  His complete game came at a crucial time, the first round of the Big South Tournament, knocking off Liberty 8-3.  In 54.0 innings of work, the 6-4, 275-pound righty fanned 48 hitters and walked 19.  Scrubb help opponents to a .188 average against him, the lowest on the High Point pitching staff.  HPU also returns their primary closer from 2015.  Joe Goodman, recently named to the National College Baseball Writers of America Stopper of the Year Watch List, will handle duties on the back-end of games.  Goodman recorded a 1.86 ERA in 20 appearances.  In his 19.1 innings of work, Goodman earned six saves while striking out 31 hitters, good for a 14.43 K/9 innings ratio.  He also held opponents to a .164 average against, while allowing a total of four earned runs on the season.  Goodman also limited the free passes, walking eight on the year. 

Last 10 vs. High Point

Here's a quick look at the last ten meetings with the Panthers.

2-14-15 | at High Point, L - 12-2                    2-13-15 | vs. High Point, W - 12-8

2-26-14 | vs. High Point, L - 7-4                    5-10-11 | at High Point, W, 12-4

4-27-11 | vs. High Point, W - 10-3                 4-29-09 | at High Point, W - 9-7 (12)

5-6-08 | vs. High Point, W, 4-3                      3-19-08 | at High Point, W 3-2

3-27-07 | vs. High Point, L - 8-2                    2-28-07 | at High Point, L 12-9

Home Cooking

UNCG opens the 2016 season with eight of 12 games at the UNCG Baseball Stadium and won't leave the state of North Carolina until Mar. 11th.  The Spartans open with a split three-game series with the High Point Panthers, before welcoming Elon and Binghamton to the UNCG Baseball Stadium.  UNCG next takes on N.C. State in Raleigh before hosting Army for a three-game set.  The Spartans then start a mini-road swing, playing five games in five games in four days away from home.  UNCG takes on the UNCW Seahawks on Mar. 9th before participating in a tournament at Coastal Carolina.  The Spartans will take on the Chanticleers twice as well as the Illinois Fighting Illini for the first time in school history.  Overall, UNCG will play 30 of its schedule 56 games at the UNCG Baseball Stadium, and an additional 12 will be in the state of North Carolina.

Greensboro's New Arrivals

There's 17 players who will be donning the blue and gold for the first time this weekend.  The Spartans welcome in a class of 11 freshman.  Sunday's projected starter Matt Frisbee and position player Andrew Moritz are expected to make their first starts of their UNCG careers against High Point.  The Spartans added two more to the sophomore class in Easton Welch and Bryce Hensley.  Hensley is the projected Saturday starter after throwing 73.1 innings and striking out 74 hitters with Catawba Valley CC.  Hensley also tossed four complete-games, including a no-hitter over New River CC where he fanned a career-high 14 hitters.  Hensley also earned a 2.95 ERA to go with a team-high seven victories with Catawba. 

SoCon Preseason

The Spartans were picked to finish fifth in the Southern Conference's preseason poll.  Samford and Mercer split the polls, with Samford taking the coaches poll by one point, and Mercer earning the preseason honor in the media poll.  The Bears and the Bulldogs finished one and two, respectively in 2015, with Mercer earning a nod to the NCAA tournament to compete in the Tallahassee Regional. 

In the coaches poll, Samford and Mercer tied with four first-place votes, with Samford earning one more point to be the favorite.  Wofford and Western Carolina were picked third and fourth, the Spartans were at fifth, two points behind the Catamounts.  Furman was picked sixth, The Citadel and ETSU tied for seventh and rounding out the coaches poll was VMI.

For the media poll, Mercer and Samford each took home seven first place votes.  The Bears totaled 119 points, two more than the Bulldogs.  Wofford and Western Carolina were again third and fourth, with UNCG picked fifth and Furman sixth.  VMI took the seventh spot, with The Citadel and ETSU picked for eighth and ninth, respectively. 

Woody and Ruiz earn Preseason SoCon Honors

Senior Collin Woody and Sophomore Devin Ruiz earned Preseason SoCon Second Team honors as announced by the conference office on Feb. 11th.  Woody qualified as a third baseman, with Ruiz named as the designated hitter. 

Woody competed in 50 games as the everyday third baseman for the Spartans last season.  He hit for a .296 average, with 12 doubles and belted ten home runs.  The ten long balls are the most of any returning player.  Woody also logged time on the mound, pitching in 9.1 innings, earning a 1-0 record and a save in 2015. 

Ruiz will be entering his sophomore season in 2016.  As a freshman, the Pennsauken, N.J. native hit for a .300 average with nine extra-base hits.  Ruiz also knocked in 17 RBI in his 26 starts. 

SoCon All Freshman

Andrew Wantz will begin his sophomore season, hoping to improve upon an excellent freshman campaign.  Wantz appeared in 15 games, starting ten of those.  Wantz earned a 5-3 record in 51.2 innings and struck out 36 hitters.  For his efforts, Wantz was named to the SoCon All-Freshman team. 

Key Departures

The Spartans are looking for some major contributors from their new faces.   UNCG saw its top offensive producers leave at the end of the 2015 season.  Eric Kalbfleisch, Tyler Long, Aaron Wright and Zac MacAneney have all moved on.  These players each started at least 45 games and played a significant role in the everyday lineup.  UNCG will look for a way to replace 25 home runs, 106 RBI and 47 doubles.

Three of UNCG's top four pitchers have also left, via graduation or MLB draft.  Ryan Clark led the team with seven wins and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round.  UNCG's ERA leads Tyler Frazier has also moved on, after having appeared in 22 games out of the bullpen. 

Key contributors for the 2016 squad look to be the new faces of Ben Spitznagel and Andrew Moritz.  Jake Kusz will be expected to play more of a prominent role as well.   Kusz saw his average jump up 33 points between his freshman and sophomore campaign.  Kusz jumped from a .256 average to a .289 clip in his sophomore season.  Tripp Shelton will hope to replicate Kusz's numbers in his sophmore season.  As a true freshman, manning one of the most demanding defensive positions on the diamond, Shelton hit for a .252 average as the everyday shortstop. 

Keaton Haack and Andrew Wantz will be the veterans of the staff, along with Chad Sykes and Cody Fitch.  Woody will provide some innings for the Spartans, but the Greensboro's new arrivals will be counted on to contribute on the mound. 

Oh Captain, My Captain

Head Coach Link Jarrett has announced the captains for his 2016 baseball team.  L.J. Kalawaia, Collin Woody, Hunter Smith and Jake Kusz have earned the right to be called captain.  The four receive this honor after a vote conducted of the UNCG baseball team.

“We are very proud and fortunate to have the leadership these four players provide to our program.” Jarrett said, “They are all worthy of this honor, and it is a true reflection of their consistency, work ethic, production and character. It is very evident that these guys are so well respected by their peers, and that is something they can reflect on for years to come.”

Kalawaia and Woody are each seniors, while Smith and Kusz are juniors.  Kalawaia received a redshirt after suffering a preseason injury in 2015.  Smith is a redshirt junior, having sat out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer rules. 

First Time Out

UNCG's projected starting rotation will all be participating in their first regular season action at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.  Hunter Smith will be given the ball on opening day, with Bryce Hensley getting it for the home opener Saturday, and freshman Matt Frisbee taking the hill in the finale on Sunday. 

Smith joins the Spartans after a two-year stint at Gardner-Webb.  Smith sat out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer rules.  He started 13 games on the bump Gardner-Webb, and complied a 4-2 overall record.  He logged 58 innings while in Boiling Springs, N.C. and struck out 19 hitters in his sophomore campaign. 

Hensley comes to UNCG by way of Catawba Valley CC.  At Catawba Valley, Hensley tied a team-high seven wins in his 73.1 innings of work.  He racked up 74 strike outs while having posted a 2.95 ERA.  Hensley has shown that he can go the distance as well, tossing four complete games at Catawba, including a no-hitter over New River CC. 

Frisbee is a big right-hander our of Enka, N.C.  He was an All-American Honorable Mention, and earned All-Atlantic Region honors from Perfect game. 

Braves Select Clark in the 5th Round

Ryan Clark, the former UNCG Friday night starter, was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the MLB Draft last June.  Clark logged a team-high 15 starts in 2015 for the Spartans, going 7-6 in those starts.  He also threw in 95.1 innings and earned a 4.06 ERA while striking out 94 hitters.  The 94 K's are the fourth-most in a single season at UNCG.  Clark appeared in 13 games for the Danville Braves of the Appalachian League where he went 6-1 with a 3.08 ERA.  Clark joins former Spartan Max Povse with the Atlanta Braves organization.  Povse was a third-round pick in the 2014 draft.  Povse saw time with in Danville as a rookie before moving up to the A level with the Rome Braves.  In Rome, he started 12 games and earned a 4-2 record to go with a sparkling 2.56 ERA.  He then made the transition to the A+ Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League.

Return to Action

The Spartans return to action on Tuesday, February 23rd as they host the Elon Phoenix at 4:00 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. 

-UNCG-