Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – Spartan Baseball had the No. 8/16 NC State Wolfpack on the ropes on Tuesday evening but was unable to pull off the upset. After scoring three runs in the top of the eighth, UNCG gave up six in the bottom of the frame as UNCG fell 8-4 to the Wolfpack at Doak Field at Dail Park. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak as UNCG is now 6-2 on the season. The Wolfpack improves to 6-2 on the season.
“I'm proud of these guys.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “The guys think they're going to win every time they strap it on. To come back against arguably one of the best returning bullpens in the country was remarkable. The guys battled all night. We scratched and clawed for some runs against a tough bullpen. This is a unique felling right now and its something we'll learn from. Those mistakes on that stage can help speed up the learning curve. We'll take the positives out of the situation and learn from what happened, as we get ready for the weekend.”
The Spartans earned nine hits in the game, the first time this season that the UNCG offense didn't have double-digit hits. L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) and Cesar Trejo (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) each had a pair of hits in the game.
Four different Spartans accounted for the RBI. Tripp Shelton (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth), Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside), Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence), and Trejo each had one RBI. Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) Kalawaia, Woody, and Moritz each scored in the loss.
Jake Lewis (Wendell, N.C./Corinth Holders) started the first game of his UNCG career. The freshman threw 2.1 innings, allowed four hits, two earned runs; three walks and struck out two. Zach Kuchmaner (Charlotte, N.C./Marvin Ridge) threw an inning in relief, allowing only one hit. Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) continues to pitch well out of the bullpen. Wantz went 4.0 innings, allowing two hits, two runs; one earned, and struck out three hitters. Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy) (0-1) suffered the loss. Sykes gave up four unearned runs on three hits in 0.2 innings pitched.
UNCG fell behind early, giving up solo runs in the bottom of the first and second innings. In both innings, the lead off hitter singled to start. A bases loaded walk brought in the run in the first inning, while a wild pitch with a runner on third scored the second run.
The Spartans cut the lead in half in the top of the fifth inning. Moritz drew a lead off walk and moved to second on a Trejo single. After a Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) sacrifice put runners on second ad third, Shelton hit into a ground out to shortstop but it allowed Moritz to score.
UNCG took their first lead of the game in the top of the eighth inning. Kalawaia led off drawing a walk and moved to third on a ground-rule double from Woody. A ground out from Kusz brought the first run in before a walk to Stewart put runners on first and second. Moritz singled through to right to bring in the go-ahead run. Trejo ripped a double down the line in right to bring in the third run of the inning and give UNCG a 4-2 lead.
NC State was able to use a six-run bottom of the eighth to regain the lead. The Wolfpack scored six runs, five unearned, in the inning. Reigning ACC Player of the Week, Chance Shepard added the exclamation point, a three-run home run to left to give the Wolfpack the 8-4 lead.
UNCG returns to action on Friday, Mar. 4th as they host the Black Knights of Army for the first of a three-game set at the UNCG Baseball Stadium at 4:00 p.m.
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