Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) delivered the go-ahead two-run double as ran fell in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift UNCG to a 6-5 victory over the East Tennessee State Buccaneers. After the start of Friday's game was delayed an hour due to weather, UNCG and ETSU played nine innings at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The Spartans used three RBI from Stewart to earn the victory and improve to 29-11 on the year, and 8-2 in the Southern Conference. ETSU falls to 16-21, and 3-7 in the SoCon.
“Hunter Smith got us out of the gates well, but we didn't support him early.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said, “We weren't as clean in some moments as we needed to be defensively. He navigated and escaped the third inning. He had good stuff, but the fourth time through the lineup, we thought we should go to (Andrew) Wantz. Sykes came in and threw a clean ninth. (Dillon) Stewart's double was the key base hit for us. I didn't think we were quite as good with our approach offensively, but that game was going to come down to one key at bat, and Stewart was the one who delivered in that at bat. He studied and paid attention all game, seeing other people's at bats, and he adjusted. He hit a breaking ball and that was a big double for us.”
The Spartans had nine hits in the contest, led by multi-hit efforts from Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC), Ryne Sigmon (Danville, Va./Danville CC) and Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside) who all registered two hits. Spitznagel scored twice, Sigmon scored once and drove in another, while Kusz added an RBI on two doubles.
L.J. Kalawaia (Wailuku, Hawai'i/Ohlone College) registered one hit, scored two runs while drawing three walks, one intentional. Cesar Trejo (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) finished with a hit and a run scored, while Stewart served as the run producer, driving in three, two on a double in the sixth inning. Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) also drove in a run.
Hunter Smith (Whiteville, N.C./Whiteville) started and threw 5.2 innings. Smith allowed 11 hits, gave up five runs all earned while recording one strikeout.
The Spartan bullpen closed the final 3.1 innings with Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) and Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy). Wantz (6-0) threw 2.1 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two batters while earning the win. Sykes (4) picked up the save, throwing a clean ninth, walking one and striking out the final batter of the game.
The Spartans took a lead in the bottom of the second inning. Sigmon singled and then stole second base to put a runner on for Kusz. Kusz hit a double to the gap in right center to bring in Sigmon and give UNCG a 1-0 lead.
ETSU took the lead the in the next half inning. Back-to-back singles started the frame before an infield hit scored a run. Hagen Owenby connected for a single to bring in another run before a wild pitch scored the third run of the inning. The Buccaneers wrapped up the scoring on an Aaron Maher sacrifice fly to right field to increase the lead to 4-1.
UNCG cut into the ETSU lead in the bottom of the third frame. After four walks scored a run and loaded the bases, Sigmon singled to first to bring in another run and trim the lead to 4-3 in favor of the Bucs.
The Spartans tied the game up, scoring a solo run in the bottom of the fourth. After an intentional walk to Kalawaia loaded the bases with one out, Woody ground out to short but scored Trejo to tie the game at four.
The Buccaneers regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning, scoring one run on a Blake Rowlett RBI single.
UNCG regained the lead in the bottom of the frame, scoring two runs. Spitznagel led off with a hit, and moved to third by virtue of a failed pick off attempt and a Moritz ground out. After Kalawaia drew a walk and stole second, Stewart connected for a double to left to score to and put UNCG ahead 6-5.
The Spartans and Buccaneers return to action on Saturday, April 23rd at 2:00 p.m. at the UNCG Baseball Stadium for the second game of a three-game SoCon series.
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