Box Score HIGH POINT, N.C. – For the fifth-straight time, the UNCG baseball team has opened its season in the win column. The Spartans defeated the High Point Panthers 9-3 on Friday evening at Willard Stadium on the campus of High Point University. UNCG has now won two of the last three games with the Panthers, after splitting a pair of games in 2015's opening weekend. The Spartans are now 1-0, while HPU falls to 0-1.
Michael Goss (Cartersville, Ga./Chattanooga St. CC) and Ryne Sigmon (Danville, Va./Danville CC) each picked up three hits in the contest. Sigmon was one of three players with two RBI, as Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside) and Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) each brought in two runs. Spitznagel and L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) each picked up two hits, with Tripp Shelton (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth), Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida), Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) and Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) each adding a hit. All nine starters picked up at least one hit as the Spartans pounded out 15 on the day.
Hunter Smith (Whiteville, N.C./Gardner-Webb) got the ball on opening day. The redshirt junior tossed 4.2 innings, allowed two runs, one earned, gave up five hits and struck out three hitters. Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) (1-0) picked up the win in relief, going 4.1 innings, allowing four hits, one run (earned), walking one and striking out five.
After two scoreless, UNCG broke the game open, scoring six runs in the top of the third inning. Shelton started the rally, working a full count before singling to left field. Goss drew a walk before Kusz brought home the first run of the season on a single through the left side. Sigmon followed with a single through the right side to bring in Goss and move Kusz to third. Spitznagel did his best copycat impression, singling through the right side to bring in Sigmon and Kusz. Stewart added the first extra-base hit of the inning, belting a double to centerfield to bring in Spitznagel. After a pitching change, a pair of hits from Moritz and Kalawaia brought in another run to give UNCG the 6-0 lead.
The Spartans added a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Goss led off with a single and moved to third on Woody's first double of the season. Kusz brought Goss in on a ground out to second and Woody came in on a sacrifice fly from Sigmon.
The Panthers got a pair back in their half of the fourth inning. A lead off single from Austen Zente was followed up with a Dominic Fazio double down the left field line. Zente scored on the play. Fazio scored with help by a UNCG error. Smith worked out of a bases loaded jam, striking out Big South Preseason Player of the Year, Josh Greene.
HPU cut into the Spartan lead again in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hunter Lee got the inning started with a double to right and moved to third on a ground out from Tim Mansfield. Lee eventually scored on a UNCG wild pitch.
UNCG added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning. Goss added his second hit of the inning. Kusz reached on an error and moved Goss up to second. A single from Sigmon put Goss on third before a passed ball allowed him to score and put the Spartans up 9-3.
The Spartans and Panthers return to action tomorrow as the same two will face off at the UNCG Baseball Stadium at 2:00 p.m. It is the home opener for UNCG.
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