“You look at the captains today, (Collin) Woody, L.J. (Kalawaia, Hunter (Smith), and (Jake) Kusz.” Head Coach Link Jarrett said,   “Woody had a huge day, Hunter (Smith) pitched great,  L.J. (Kalawaia)'s grand slam, Kusz had a walk for us and a critical 0-2 base hit.  Those are the guys that our players voted as our captains, and our captains led us today.  There's plenty of guys, (Ben) Spitznagel had a good day, (Andrew) Moritz was really productive, there's plenty of guys. I liked the way our team played, in front of that crowd, in that atmosphere, it was a good win.  (JP) Sears (The Citadel) is very effective. It took us a while to figure it out.  If you come into league play on Friday night, and win a game like, you'll take that every single time.”

Collin Woody (Tampa, Fla./College of Central Florida) led the Spartans at the plate, going 5-for-5 with two RBI, and a run scored, as UNCG racked up 19 base hits on the day.  Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) finished 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, two RBI, and three runs scored. 

Cesar Trejo (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) finished the evening with three hits, scored three runs and drove in one.  Ben Spitznagel (Cincinnati, Ohio/Wabash Valley CC) added two hits and scored three runs.  Kalawaia led all players with five RBI in the contest, while going 2-for-5 five a run scored.

Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick), Ryne Sigmon (Danville, Va./Danville CC) Michael Goss (Cartersville, Ga./Chattanooga St. CC) and Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside) all added a hit as every starter recorded at least one hit in the game.  Sigmon also drove in two runs. 

Hunter Smith (Whiteville, N.C./Whiteville) (5-0) started and earned the victory.  Smith went 7.0 innings, allowing only have hits, one unearned run and struck out eight batters.  Ben Kerner (Cary, N.C./Brunswick CC) finished the game up, throwing the final 2.0 innings, giving up one hit and striking out two batters. 

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.  Spitznagel started the inning with a single to right before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Moritz.  Kalawaia ground out to shortstop but moved Spitznagel to third on the play.  Woody delivered a base hit through the left side to bring Spitznagel in and give UNCG the lead.

UNCG doubled its lead in the top of the fifth inning.  Moritz legged out an infield hit, before advancing to third on a failed pick off attempt by The Citadel pitcher.  After a walk to Kalawaia, Woody singled to right field to score Moritz and put UNCG up 2-0.

Kalawaia put the Spartans ahead with his third home run of the season in the sixth.  Kalawaia drove the first pitch he saw deep to left field for his first career grand slam to put UNCG up 6-0.

The Spartans tacked on another run in the top of the seventh inning.  Goss led off with a double to right center before moving to third on a deep fly out to center from Kusz.  Trejo singled up the middle to bring in Goss, before scoring on Moritz's sixth triple of the season.  A wild pitch scored Mortiz to conclude the scoring in the seventh, giving UNCG a 9-0 lead.

The Citadel was able to plate one run in the bottom of the seventh.  With runners on first and second, Clay Martin hit a ground ball to second.  The Spartan defense got the first out at second, but a throwing error to first allowed the runner to come around from second to cut into the lead, 9-1.

The Spartans hung another crooked number in the top of the ninth, scoring five runs on six hits, highlighted by a Moritz ground rule double.

-UNCG-