GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG Baseball takes on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in a split series on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday's game will be played at the David F. Couch Ballpark at 6:00 p.m., with Wednesday's game being played at the UNCG Baseball Stadium, also at 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday's game will be broadcasted as an audio-only broadcast on the SoCon Digital Network, with Luke Martin on the call. There is also a Wake Forest stream for the same game. Wednesday's game will feature a full video stream of the game, also broadcasted on the SoCon Digital Network.
The Spartans and Demon Deacons have played 52 times over the 25 year history of Spartan Baseball, with Wake Forest holding a 39-13 advantage in that span. Over the last ten meetings, UNCG has gone 3-7 against Wake Forest, including winning three of the last four games. The last meeting at David F. Couch Ballpark occurred last season, when the Demon Deacons defeated the Spartans 11-7.
UNCG will feature two familiar midweek starters on the hill. Jake Lewis (Wendell, N.C./Corinth Holders) is set to start on Tuesday evening, with Keaton Haack (Greensboro, N.C./Pitt CC) getting the ball on Wednesday. Lewis is set to make his fifth start of the season on Tuesday evening. The freshman has started in three other midweek games, as well as the first game of a doubleheader in the Coastal Carolina Invitational. In his last outing, Lewis went a career-high 4.2 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs against the Duke Blue Devils. Haack will also be making his fifth start this season, all during midweek competitions. Haack has earned a 3.78 ERA in 16.2 innings to go with his 1-1 record. Haack, who was a late scratch from last week's midweek game, hasn't pitched since March 30th against Campbell. Haack went a career-high 5.0 innings, allowing two earned runs and struck out three hitters in a 8-2 victory.
The Spartans have one of the most formidable offenses in all of NCAA Division I. UNCG has led the NCAA in batting average all season, and currently has a .355 team average, 12 points higher than Air Force, who is second in the NCAA with a .343 team average. The Spartans are in the top ten in several offensive categories. UNCG is first in average, runs, hits, slugging and on-base percentage. UNCG is second in doubles, and sacrifice flies, and third in doubles per game, triples, and triples per game.
Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) leads the Spartans with a .408 average. Moritz is currently on a 17-game hitting streak, and has reached base in a team-best 29-straight games, as well as reaching in 32 of 33 games this season. Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) leads the team with 40 runs driven in this year. Woody has hit for a .369 average, including a 5-for-5 performance in the series opener with The Citadel. Woody is tied with Moritz for the team-lead with 11 doubles, and has hit five home runs. Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) leads the Spartans with nine home runs this year. Stewart has driven in 36 runs this year and leads the team with 21 extra-base hits, and 42 runs scored. L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) leads the team with 15 stolen bases this year, and has a .378 batting average. The redshirt senior has played in 31 games, scored 39 runs to go with nine extra base hits. Kalawaia hit an opposite field grand slam against The Citadel on April 8th in Charleston. All but two Spartans who have played in at least 21 games have hit at least one home runs as the Spartan offense has hit 31 out of the ball park this season.
The Spartans and Demon Deacons have played 52 times over the 25 year history of Spartan Baseball, with Wake Forest holding a 39-13 advantage in that span. Over the last ten meetings, UNCG has gone 3-7 against Wake Forest, including winning three of the last four games. The last meeting at David F. Couch Ballpark occurred last season, when the Demon Deacons defeated the Spartans 11-7.
Wake Forest enters the week with a 19-14 overall record prior to their Monday matchup with the NC State Wolfpack. Wake Forest has played several similar competitors as the Spartans, going 8-4 against teams that have played against UNCG this season. The Demon Deacons have lost thee of their last four games prior to Monday, including three ACC matchups.
Will Craig leads the Wake Forest offense. The junior third baseman is the reigning ACC player of the year, as well as being named a First Team All-American in five different publications in 2015. Craig is currently hitting for a .471 clip, third highest in the NCAA. Craig doesn't just do it with average, the right-handed hitter has hit nine home runs, and 12 doubles this season, while driving in a team-high 43 runs. Stuart Fairchild and Joey Rodriguez have started every game for Wake Forest. Fairchild currently has a .297 average, with a pair of home runs, a pair of triples to lead the team and is tied with Rodriguez for second on the squad with 10 doubles. Fairchild has also driven in 21 runs and scored 25. Rodriguez has a .244 average in 33 games, with 22 runs scored. Nate Mondou has scored 27 runs for the Demon Deacons, most on the team. Mondou has started 32 games while playing in all 33. While hitting for a .276 average, Mondou has hit five doubles, a triple and one home run while driving in 15 runs.
On the mound, Wake Forest is set to send a pair of right-handers to the hill against the Spartans. Aaron Fossas is projected to start Tuesday. Fossas, a redshirt senior, has made five appearances, while starting two games. In those appearances, Fossas has only worked 4.2 innings and has allowed three runs in the process. Rayne Supple is the projected starter for the matchup in Greensboro on Wednesday. Supple has started three games and made 11 appearances. In his 14.1 innings, supple has allowed 12 earned runs, while walking 22 batters and striking out 14. John McCarren is a reliever that could see time on the hill during the series. McCarren has worked in 15 games, including one start. In 32.0 innings, the righty, has struck out 21 hitters while allowing just 10 earned runs. Chris Farish has worked the most games out of the bullpen, appearing in 20. In 19.2 innings, Farish has earned a 1-1 record and has struck out 27 hitters while holding opponents to a .174 average. Donnie Sellers has earned a 4-2 record, working in 17 games out of the bullpen. Sellers leads the Wake Forest pitching staff with five saves on the year, working in 20.0 innings. Craig, a two-way player, has made three saves on the year, appearing in nine games total.
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