Box Score HIGH POINT, N.C. – The UNCG Baseball team hit a speed bump in Sunday afternoon's game with the High Point Panthers at Willard Stadium. The Spartans, who had cruised to victories in the first two games of the series, fell 15-5. UNCG is now 2-1 on the season, while High Point improves to 1-2.
“Today we gave them too many opportunities with the free passes.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “The effort was there, it was the execution that wasn't good enough for us to keep the game where it needed to be. High Point was much better today at the plate, spraying the ball around and having some timely hits. This was tough, but the guys will shake this off and we'll prepare for Elon on Tuesday.”
UNCG continued to be productive at the plate, out hitting the Panthers 11-9 in the contest. Dillon Stewart (Danville, Va./Danville CC) had successful afternoon, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, three runs scored and an RBI. Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida), Tripp Shelton (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth), and Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) had two hits a piece, with Shelton and Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) picking up an RBI.
The Navy and Gold used a combination of six pitchers in the loss. Matt Frisbee (Candler, N.C./Enka) started and went 1.2 innings picking up a strike out in his first action as a Spartan. Jake Lewis (Wendell, N.C./Corinth Holders) and Zach Kuchmaner (Charlotte, N.C./Marvin Ridge) combined for the next three innings, with Lewis fanning three hitters. Cody Fitch (Shelby, N.C./Shelby), Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy) and Keaton Haack (Greensboro, N.C./Pitt CC) also made appearances out of the bullpen. Haack threw in the final two innings, allowing no hits and striking out two hitters.
The Spartans took a lead early, benefitting from a hit batter and a pair of walks giving the Spartans a 1-0 lead.
High Point answered back in its half of the second inning. A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases, before Nick Capra ground out to first base and tie the game up at one. J.J. Woodard the singled to right center to bring in two more runs before a double from Chris Clare brought in another pair. Josh Greene singled to bring in the final run of the inning, give the Panthers a 6-1 lead.
UNCG got a run back in the top of the fourth off the bat of Stewart. Stewart launched his second home run in as many days to cut the lead to 6-2, in favor of High Point.
The Panthers added three runs in the fifth and six runs in the sixth inning to take a commanding lead.
The Navy and Gold scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning, using a Shelton double and a passed ball cut into the deficit. UNCG added another in the ninth on another High Point passed ball.
The Spartans return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 23rd as they play host to the Elon Phoenix at the UNCG Baseball Stadium at 4:00 p.m.
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