Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) helped UNCG hammer out an 8-2 victory over the UMES Hawks on Wednesday evening at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The Spartans improve to 12-5 on the year with the win, while UMES falls to 4-13. Stewart hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season, a grand slam in the fourth inning to help the Spartans regain and keep the lead.
“This was a good win tonight.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “We didn't have our best offensive night, but (Dillon) Stewart's blow was huge. We strung together four really good at-bats, including his grand slam. We didn't have our best offensive day but we were efficient. Their guys pitched well, they made every play and they played a good game. Keaton (Haack) got us a good start, and (Jake) Lewis came in and helped settle things down, he was able to post some zeros and keep us in the game. (Andrew) Wantz and (Chad) Sykes came in and helped put the game away at the end and really pitched well.”
Stewart provided the bulk of the offense on one swing of the bat. The junior hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season, a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth to help put the Spartans up for good. Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) finished 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and drew a walk.
Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and scored a run. Cesar Trejo (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) went 2-for-3 with a triple, a single, an RBI and a run scored. L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) drove in Spitznagel on a ground out in the first inning.
UNCG used four pitchers to combine for the win. Keaton Haack (Greensboro, N.C./Pitt CC) started, scattering four hits and striking out five through 3.0 innings of shut out baseball. Jake Lewis (Wendell, N.C./Corinth Holders) (1-0) picked up the win, throwing 4.0 innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out two hitters.
Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) worked in the eighth, not allowing a base runner and striking out one. Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy) finished the game off in the ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
UNCG took an early lead, scoring in the first inning. Spitznagel led off with a double down the left field line and came around to score on a pair of groundouts from Tripp Shelton (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth) and Kalawaia.
UMES took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. After a lead off single from Jamison Trower, Connor Breslin triple to the left center field gap to tie the game up at one. Breslin later scored on a bunt that was mishandled by the UNCG defense to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead.
The Spartans regained the lead in the bottom of the frame. UNCG scored five times, four on the Stewart grand slam. After four innings, UNCG led 6-2.
UNCG added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Trejo had an RBI triple to right field before scoring on a wild pitch, giving the Spartans the 8-2 advantage.
The Navy and Gold returns to action on Friday, Mar. 18th as they host the Marist Red Foxes at 6:00 p.m. for the first of three games at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
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