Box Score GREENVILLE, S.C. – UNCG Baseball dropped a back-and-forth battle with the Furman Paladins at Latham Stadium on Friday night, 9-7. Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) had the finished the night 5-for-5 with four singles a double, and three runs scored to lead the Spartan offense.
“Tough ball game.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “Gaddis (Furman) did a very nice job on the mound. We were able to figure him out a little bit and their bullpen came in and used Griffith (Furman) with a nice breaking ball and they're closer to finish if off. Our guys fought, it was a tight game the whole way, we battled back but we came up on the short end. Hunter battled through his start and got us into the game. They are a very aggressive team, and they will swing early, and we didn't command the ball as well as we needed to early. Those home runs hurt. We just didn't pitch it well enough today to give ourselves a chance to come out on top.”
UNCG's offense racked up 13 hits in the game, behind Spitznagel's five hit day. Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) and L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) also had multi-hit games, going for two each. Moritz scored a run in the game, while Kalawaia drove in three.
Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) and Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) each connected for a hit and scored a run, with Stewart driving in a run. Ryne Sigmon (Danville, Va./Danville CC) added a two-RBI double in the game, with Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside) also adding an RBI hit.
Hunter Smith (Whiteville, N.C./Whiteville) (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season. Smith worked 5.1 innings, allowing nine hits, seven runs, six earned, walking one hitter and striking out two. Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) worked 2.2 innings in relief, giving up four hits, two runs, one earned and striking out two.
UNCG wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Spitznagel led off with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Moritz. Kalawaia drove in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead.
Furman took a 4-1 lead, scoring on a pair of two-run home runs in the first and second innings.
The Paladins added another run in the bottom of the third inning. With the bases loaded, Griffin Davis hit a fly ball to center field deep enough to bring in the run and put Furman up 5-1.
UNCG cut into the Paladin lead in the top of the fifth. Goss singled and moved to second on a wild pitch before a single from Kusz brought him in.
The Spartans added two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Woody led off the frame with a single up the middle before moving to third on a ground-rule double from Stewart. Sigmon drilled a double down the right field line to bring in a pair and cut the lead to 5-4, Paladins.
Furman stretched the lead back to four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Three of the first four hitters singled before a two-out double pushed the lead to 8-4 Paladins.
UNCG got a run back in the top of the seventh inning. Back-to-back singles from Spitznagel and Moritz put runners on the corners for Kalawaia. Kalawaia connected for a single to trim the lead to 8-5.
The Paladins added another run in the bottom of the eighth. After a lead off double from Rollin Layton, a sacrifice bunt moved him to third before an infield single brought him in to score and give Furman a 9-5 lead.
The Spartans rallied in the top of the ninth, scoring a pair. After leadoff hits from Spitznagel, Moritz, and Kalawaia scored one run, UNCG scored another on a fielder's choice from Stewart to trim the lead to 9-7. The Spartans could come no closer as Goss ground out with runners on first and second to end the game.
UNCG returns to action tomorrow as they play Furman at the Latham Stadium at 4:00 p.m.
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