Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG Baseball earned its 15th win at the UNCG Baseball Stadium on Tuesday night, defeating the North Carolina A&T Aggies 6-2. The Spartans improve to 19-6 on the season, with A&T falling to 6-20.
“We pitched well tonight.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “Our defense was sound. I wish we could have turned one of those double plays to help (Chad) Sykes out there in his second inning of work. L.J. (Kalawaia) had a base-hit bunt and a home run, you don't see that too often. That tells you a lot about his capabilities. (Andrew) Moritz was a big lift for us today, finishing with three doubles. They were timely and he played a good center field, had a good day. That's a solid day for us.”
The Spartan offense was limited to just nine hits in the game, the sixth time this season UNCG hasn't collected at least ten hits. L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) and Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) led the Spartan offense. Kalawaia finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Kalawaia had a bunt base hit in the fifth inning, before hitting his second home run as a Spartan in the seventh. Moritz finished 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBI.
Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) also finished with two hits in the game, while scoring a game-high three runs. Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) posted an RBI on one hit, with Cesar Trejo (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) earning one hit and scoring one run.
Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) started his first game of the season for the Spartans. The sophomore logged 4.0 innings, giving up the only two hits of the game, one earned run and striking out six hitters. Ben Kerner (Cary, N.C./Brunswick CC) was the first pitcher out of the bullpen. Kerner worked 2.0 innings, without allowing a hit.
Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy) worked the seventh and eighth innings, allowing one run, two walks and striking out two. Woody finished the game off in the ninth, striking out a pair.
The Aggies took an early lead, scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Myles Sowell singled to start the game and moved to third on a single to right from Milton Rivera. Sowell came around and scored on a wild pitch.
UNCG regained the lead in the bottom of the first frame. Stewart singled and moved to second after Kalawaia drew a walk. Woody followed with a single through the left side to bring home Stewart. Moritz dropped in a double to center, allowing Kalawaia to score from second and UNCG to take a 2-1 lead.
The Spartans tacked on another run in the second inning. Trejo singled with one out, and moved to second after a Spitznagel walk. The Aggie pitcher attempted to pick off Spitznagel at first but the throw got away and Trejo was able to score from second on the play.
UNCG added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners on first and second, Moritz blooped a double over the head of the first baseman that allowed Stewart to score from second.
The Navy and Gold scored two more in the bottom of the seventh. After a Stewart walk, Kalawaia sent one over the wall in right to score two and put the Spartans up 6-1.
A&T managed to score one run in the top of the eighth inning, but was unable to come any closer as UNCG took the game 6-2.
The Spartans return to action on Wednesday, Mar. 30th as they travel to Buies Creek, N.C. to take on the Campbell Camels at 6:00 p.m.
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