Box Score CONWAY, S.C. – Spartan Baseball suffered a 7-4 defeat to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Sunday afternoon at Springs Brooks Stadium on Coastal Carolina's campus. UNCG finishes the Coastal Carolina Invitational 3-1 and are now 11-5 on the season. Coastal Carolina finishes with the same record in the tournament, and is now 10-7 on the year.
“That was a competitive baseball game.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “(Alex) Cunningham came in and really pitched well. He was a starter last year and went 6-0 for them and he really knows how to pitch. We fought and battled, we had some early mistakes, a couple walks, a tough play at first we need to make, came back to bite us, a. At this level of college baseball every one of those opportunities gave them a chance and they capitalized. Our guys fought, it wasn't a lack of effort, it was a lack of execution. I'm proud of our guys to come down here on the road and go 3-1 against two very high-quality teams. We'll take it and we'll move forward.”
Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) turned in an excellent day at the plate. Spitznagel went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and walked twice as he reached base in every at bat. L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) added a pair of hits and a run scored. Ryne Sigmon (Danville, Va./Danville CC) finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) also added a hit and an RBI in the contest.
Matt Frisbee (Candler, N.C./Enka) (0-2) went 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, six runs; three earned and struck out a pair. Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) made his team-leading ninth appearance out of the bullpen, going 1.2 innings without allowing a hit and striking out one of the six batters he faced.
Ben Kerner (Cary, N.C./Brunswick CC) threw 0.1 innings, allowing one hit and a run. Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy) pitched well over the final 2.2 innings. Sykes didn't allow a hit and retired all eight batters that he faced, three via strike out.
The Spartans took the lead in the top of the first inning again against Coastal, the third time in four games during the weekend. Spitznagel started the game off with a walk, and moved to second on a Shelton single. After Kalawaia was hit by a pitch, Woody flew out to deep centerfield to score Spitznagel and advance Shelton. A wild pitch allowed Shelton to score and give UNCG a 2-0 lead.
The Chanticleers cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first. After a lead off single from Anthony Marks and Zach Remillard doubled to the track in right center to bring him in and cut the lead to 2-1, Spartans.
Coastal was able to tie the game up in the bottom of the second inning. A one out walk put Billy Cooke on first and a wild pitch moved him to second. David Parrett hit a high chopper, forcing the UNCG defense to rush the throw. The throw to first pulled the first baseman off the bag, causing the runner to be safe, and Cooke never slowed down around third and was able to score on the play.
CCU doubled up the Spartans in the bottom of the third, plating two runs on a Connor Owings two-run homer. Coastal again tacked on a pair in the bottom of the fourth inning. After a lead off walk and an error, CCU executed a squeeze bunt for their first run. G.K. Young then flew out to centerfield to bring in Seth Lancaster and put the Chanticleers up 6-2.
After Coastal added a run in the sixth, UNCG cut into the deficit, scoring a pair in the top of the seventh. A lead off double from Spitznagel, followed by a Kalawaia single and a Stewart walk loaded the bases. Sigmon singled back through the middle to bring in a pair and cut the lead to 7-4, Chanticleers.
UNCG returns to action on Wednesday, Mar. 16th as they host UMES at the UNCG Baseball Stadium, with first pitch set for 6:00 p.m.
UNCG
-UNCG-
