GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG Baseball notched its third win of the season on Tuesday evening against the Elon Phoenix.  The Spartans hit double digits in hits for the fourth time in as many games this season, as they knocked off Elon 7-3 at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.  UNCG has won three of its first four games and is off to the best start since the 2013 season when it started 4-0.

“This win goes back to yesterday,” Head Coach Link Jarrett said. “When we got kids running from all ends of campus to help get the tarp on, that's part of what we do and that allowed us to play today.  We didn't get out of the gates like we wanted to.   After going down early, there was a feeling of we need to create something, and we did, getting six runs in that third inning.  Our hitters have shown that after a couple times through the order we can start to figure out what's going on with the other team's pitcher.  And that's a credit to our guys paying attention and staying in the game.  That bullpen, that's how you line it up.  Everyone went out there and did their job.  It was a well-played game and that's a good quality win over a very good team.”

Four Spartans had two hits in the game.  Tripp Shelton (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth) hit two doubles with two runs scored and an RBI.  Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside), Ryne Sigmon (Danville, Va./Danville CC) and Dillon Stewart (Dunn., N.C./Brunswick CC) finished with an RBI and a run scored each on their two hits. 

Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) finished with a hit and an RBI. Devin Ruiz (Pennsauken, N.J./Paul VI) added a hit and an RBI with Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) scoring a run. 

UNCG used a combination of five pitchers to earn the win.  Keaton Haack (Greensboro, N.C./Pitt CC) started and threw 1.2 innings, allowing three runs.  Ben Kerner (Cary, N.C./Brunswick CC) (1-0) earned his first NCAA win in relief, tossing the next 2.1 innings, allowing only two hits. 

Easton Welch (Randleman, N.C./Randleman) and Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) combined for the next four innings, allowing just one hit each.  Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy) closed out the ninth, striking out the side. 

The Spartans fell behind early, giving up two runs through the first two innings.  Elon used a solo home run in the first to take an early lead and then added to it on a pair of Nick Zammarelli and Kyle Jackson RBI singles. 

UNCG took advantage of some Elon miscues and scored six runs in the bottom of the third inning.  The inning started with Spitznagel reaching on an error and advancing to second on a walk.  Shelton hit his first double of the evening to bring in Spitznagel and cut into the lead.  Kusz connected for a single up the middle to bring in Shelton and Sigmon also singled to bring in Michael Goss (Cartersville, Ga./Chattanooga St.) who reached via walk.  Stewart then got on with an infield hit and brought Sigmon in.  Ruiz connected for a double down the right field line to score Stewart and give the Spartans a lead that they would not relinquish. 

To be sure, UNCG added another run in the seventh.  Shelton led off with his second double and scored on a Woody single to right field. 

The Spartans return to action on Friday night as they play host to the Binghamton Bearcats for a three-gam series.  The series will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday with game being played at 4:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m., respectively. 

-UNCG-