GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG Baseball team hits the road for its first midweek game away from the UNCG Baseball Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The Spartans will take on the UNCW Seahawks at Brooks Field at 4:00 p.m. UNCG enters with an 8-3 record after falling to Army on Sunday, while UNCW comes in with a similar 8-2 mark, after dropping its series finale with Penn State.
The Spartans and Seahawks have met a total of 21 times throughout the years. UNCG holds a 12-9 advantage during that time. In the last meeting with the Seahawks, UNCG won 10-4 at Brooks Field in Wilmington. Over the last ten meetings, UNCW has picked up seven of their nine total wins. UNCG had success early in the series, but the Seahawks were successful in the mid-2000s against the Spartans. The Seahawks have also had some recent success as a program. UNCW earned a spot in the NCAA Regionals hosted by Louisiana State University after a 41-17 campaign.
In UNCG's last time out, the Spartans suffered a 6-4 loss at the hands of the Army Black Knights. The Spartans defeated Army in the first two games of the weekend, taking Friday's matchup 16-2, and Saturday 10-6. UNCG racked up 42 hits on the weekend, and used excellent starts from Hunter Smith (Whiteville, N.C./Whiteville) and Bryce Hensley (Asheville, N.C./Catawba Valley CC) to get the wins.
The Spartan offense is led by senior third baseman, Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida). Woody has hit for a .417 average through 11 games. Woody has five doubles and a home run to go with 11 RBI and 13 runs scored. Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) and Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside) currently lead the team with 12 RBI each. Stewart has connected for three home runs on the season, most on the team. Tripp Shelton (Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth) leads the Spartans in extra base hits. The sophomore shortstop has connected for extra bases 10 times, including leading the team with eight doubles and two triples. A year ago, Shelton hit seven doubles throughout the 50-game season.
On the mound, UNCG is set to start senior Keaton Haack (Greensboro, N.C./Pitt CC). Haack has tossed in three games this season, including starting the first midweek game with Elon (Feb. 23). Haack has worked in 5.2 innings this season, earning a 4.76 ERA in the process. He has allowed three runs on five hits while holding opponents to a .227 average against and striking out seven hitters. Other midweek performers on the mound have been Jake Lewis (Wendell, N.C./Corinth Holders) and Ben Kerner (Cary, N.C./Brunswick CC). Lewis started the midweek game with NC State. On the season, Lewis has made five appearances, going 8.1 innings, allowing three runs and striking out 10 hitters. Kerner has gone 2-0 in four appearances, logging 7.0 innings. Kerner has struck out five hitters in his time on the mound. Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) has also dazzled out of the bullpen. The sophomore right-hander ha a 1.69 ERA through 16.0 innings. Wantz also leads the Spartans with 22 strikeouts.
UNCW enters the midweek matchup with an 8-2 record overall. UNCW took a series from Penn State this past weekend, taking the Saturday and Sunday games, and falling in the finale on Monday. The other UNCW loss came to a familiar foe for the Spartans. The Seahawks were defeated by the No. 8 NC State Wolfpack the day after the Wolfpack knocked off the Spartans at Doak Field. Opening weekend, UNCW knocked off Southern Conference rival, Western Carolina at Brooks Field 15-2 before taking down St. John's, and Richmond. Richmond is tied with UNCG for the nation's highest team batting average.
Gavin Stupienski leads the Seahawks offensively. Stupienski has a .425 average, with a six extra-base hits. The junior has started ten games for the Seahawks, hitting four doubles, a triple and a home run throughout the season. Nick Feight is the current RBI and home run leader for the Seahawks. The sophomore catcher/designated hitter has hit for a .343 average, with a team-high four home runs. Feight also adds a triple and two doubles throughout the season. Brian Mims and Steven Linkous are right on Feight's heels in the RBI department. Mims, a right-handed hitting second baseman, has earned a .368 average with three doubles and a home run in 38 at bats, while racking up 14 RBI. Linkous is second on the team with a .390 batting average. Linkous, a first-team All-CAA outfielder a year ago, has knocked in 14 RBI on his 15 hits, including a pair of doubles, and a team-high two triples.
The Seahawks are set to send right-hander Justin Crump to the mound on Wednesday. Crump, a sophomore will be making his fourth-career start, and first of the 2016 season. Crump started three games as a freshman and made 13 appearances a season ago. This year, Crump has appeared in one game, an 11-4 victory over VCU on Feb. 28th in Wilmington. Crump worked in 2.2 innings, allowing two hits and an earned run. He also fanned two hitters and walked one on 45 pitches. UNCW's pitching staff has combined for a 3.64 ERA through the 10 games. Jared Gesell has made the most appearances for UNCW with seven. Gesell has worked an inning in each of his outings, earning a 1.29 ERA in the process, and earned a save against Richmond on Feb. 21st. Austin Magestro has logged six appearances for the Seahawks. Magestro has a 1-0 record and a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings. Magestro has fanned nine hitters and held opponents to a .130 average against him. As a staff, UNCW has a .212 average against, and has struck out 71 hitters.
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