Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG Baseball team continued to hammer away at Marist pitching on Sunday afternoon. The Spartan offense racked up 22 hits en route to a 16-4 victory and series sweep of the Marist Red Foxes at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. UNCG improves to 15-5 on the season, while Marist falls to 5-10. The 22 hits are the second most in a game on the season, and it marks the fourth time this year that UNCG has racked up 20+ hits.
“(Matt) Frisbee came out and established his fastball and got us into the game.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “That bunt base hit from (Ben) Spitznagel on the first pitch of the game, really got us going. We were able to go several hitters without making an out. (Collin) Woody had a great day, (Andrew) Moritz had a great day, (Cesar) Trejo, you can go up and down the lineup and we had key at bats. (Dillon) Stewart, it was good to see him have a good day. He was in here early working on his swing and its nice to see two hits in the stat sheet. Our guys out of the bullpen came in and did a good job. It's a good day, good weekend for us.”
At the plate, the Spartans connected for 22 hits. L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) and Cesar Trejo (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) collected four hits each, as seven Spartans had multi-hit games. Trejo added his second homer of the season, along with three RBI, and two runs scored. Kalawaia scored three runs in the game.
Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) and Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) each picked up three hits. Woody provided the bulk of the damage, scoring three runs and picking up three RBI and a home run. He now leads the team with 27 RBI, and six homers on the season. Moritz scored once and drove in a run.
Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) earned a pair of hits and drove in three runs in the ball game. Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a pair of runs scored. Ryne Sigmon (Danville, Va./Danville CC) also went 2-for-4 and scored two runs while driving in one.
Tripp Shelton (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth) hit his team-leading third triple of the season, with JoJo Underwood (Cartersville, Ga./Chattanooga St. CC) earning his second hit of the season off the bench.
UNCG used five pitchers to record the victory. Matt Frisbee (Candler, N.C./Enka) (1-2) worked the first five innings, tying a career-long start, and set a new career best with seven strikeouts. He also earned his first collegiate win of his career. Easton Welch (Randleman, N.C./Randleman) and Jake Lewis (Wendell, N.C./Corinth Holders) worked the next two innings, allowing one run and each picking up a strikeout.
Ben Kerner (Cary, N.C./Brunswick CC) and Woody combined for the next two innings. Kerner allowed a hit, but stranded him on base in the eighth. Woody worked a perfect final frame, using 10 pitches to record three outs, including one strikeout.
Marist again took a lead in the top of the first inning. After a walk to Greg Kocinski, a pair of singles brought him around to give the Red Foxes a 1-0 lead.
UNCG wasted no time taking the lead, scoring five runs in the bottom of the frame. Spitznagel led off with his seventh bunt-base hit of the season and was driven home on a Shelton triple. Kalawaia legged out an infield hit to bring in Shelton. Stewart doubled off the top of the wall in left to bring home Woody and Kalawaia. Sigmon blooped a hit to right field to score Stewart and put the Spartans up 5-1.
The Red Foxes cut into the UNCG lead in the top of the second inning, plating a pair. After a hit by pitch and a double put runners in scoring position, a pair of wild pitches brought in both runners to cut the lead to 5-3 Spartans.
UNCG got a run back in the bottom of the second. After a lead off walk to Shelton, Kalawaia singled to right and both runners moved to scoring position on a wild pitch. Woody then flew out to centerfield to bring in Shelton and go up 6-3.
The Spartans added to their lead in the bottom of the third. Sigmon led off with a single and advanced to third on a double from Trejo. Spitznagel then sent a single through the right side to bring in both and go up 8-3.
The Navy and Gold kept on hitting in the bottom of the fourth, putting up another five spot. UNCG used four hits, all singles and two walks to push the lead to 13-3 Spartans.
UNCG tacked on three more over the next four innings, highlighted by Trejo's second home run of the season.
The Spartans return to action on Tuesday, Mar. 22nd as they will take on the North Carolina A&T Aggies at NewBridge Bank Park in downtown Greensboro at 6:00 p.m.
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