GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG Baseball is ready for its three-game set with the Binghamton Bearcats. The Spartans and Bearcats will take part in a three-game series Feb. 26th, 27th and 28th with each game being played at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The games will be played at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
The Spartans enter the weekend having defeated the Elon Phoenix the last time out. UNCG earned a 7-3 victory over Elon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium on Tuesday evening. The Spartans fell behind early, giving up three runs in the first two innings, but mounted a come back. UNCG benefitted from some Elon miscues en route to a six run third inning giving the Spartans the lead and eventually the game. UNCG added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning. UNCG used six pitcher to hold down the Phoenix. Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) threw 2.1 innings striking out six hitters while not giving up a hit. Tripp Shelton (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth) finished the evening 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI as he led the offensive effort. This comes two days removed from taking two of three games against the High Point Panthers to open the season.
UNCG's starting rotation will be the same as last weekend. Hunter Smith (Whiteville, N.C./Gardner-Webb) will start Friday, Bryce Hensley (Asheville, N.C./Catawba Valley CC) will go on Saturday, and Matt Frisbee (Candler, N.C./Enka) will get the ball on Sunday.
UNCG has seem a very stable lineup through the first four games of the season, with eight starters having played in all four games. At the plate, UNCG is led by Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C., Brunswick CC) who has hit for a .467 average in four games. The junior also leads the team with two home runs and is tied with Michael Goss (Cartersville, Ga./Chattanooga St. CC) for the team-lead with five RBI. Stewart also leads the Spartans with a 1.000 slugging percentage and has a .579 on-base percentage. L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) has started two games in right field and has a .444 average with a double and an RBI. Six players are hitting over the .375 mark. Shelton leads the team with five extra-base hits, including four doubles and a triple. The sophomore shortstop had ten go for extra bases in his freshman season, and is already halfway to his doubles total (seven) from the previous year.
The Bearcats come to Greensboro after having faced Houston Baptist the previous weekend. Houston Baptist, a 2015 NCAA Regional Participant, took three of four games from the Bearcats during the weekend. Binghamton has made the NCAA tournament in three of the last seven seasons, and returns seven position players and two players from its weekend rotation in 2015. Binghamton competes in the American East conference and finished the 2015 season with a 17-24-2 record, and were 10-14 in games away from Vestal, N.Y.
Pat Britt leads the charge for the Bearcat offense. The sophomore outfielder has hit for a team-high .545 average through three games. Britt has gone 6-for-11 during three games, with a triple and an RBI while scoring two runs. Darian Herncane leads the Bearcats with five RBI on the young season. Herncane, another oufielder, has gone 3-for-12 in his three starts, while scoring a run to go with his RBI. He and Reed Gamache hit home runs during opening weekend. Gamache has started all four games and has hit for a .313 average, going 5-for-16. Gamache is tied for second on the team with four RBI. Brendon Skidmore has also brought in four runs for Binghamton. Skidmore, a junior infielder has a .235 average in his four starts, managing a hit per start in 17 at bats, while leading the team with two doubles.
Binghamton will send the same starters to the mound over the weekend that worked in the first weekend of the season. Mike Bunal will face off with UNCG's Smith on Friday night. In Bunal's last appearance, the righty went 3.1 innings and allowed nine hits, seven runs; five earned, and struck out one hitter. Bunal worked as the Saturday starter in 2015, earning a 3.96 ERA in 50.0 innings of work. On Saturday, Rob Hardy will get the call against UNCG's Hensley. Hardy also threw against the Huskies on opening day in the second game of a double header. Hardy was relieved after five innings of work in his first start. He gave up five hits and allowed three runs, all earned while only allowing one free pass and striking out three hitters. Hardy worked as the Sunday starter in 2015, earning a 5.02 ERA in 57.1 innings, the second-most on the team. Jake Cryts will get the ball in the series finale against UNCG's Frisbee. Cryts logged a team-high 5.1 innings, allowing four hits and three runs in as the Bearcats suffered a 4-3 loss in the third game of the series.
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