GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG baseball is set to open the Southern Conference schedule against the Western Carolina Catamounts this weekend at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.  The three-game series begins Friday at 6:00 p.m., with games Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m.

The Spartans enter the contest having won six-straight after defeating North Carolina A&T at First National Bank Field Wednesday night.  There will be live stats and a live stream of each contest this weekend.  Links for these features will be on the UNCG baseball schedule page.  Friday's game will be streamed on ESPN3 Jason Patterson doing play-by-play, and Phil Cox on color.  Saturday and Sunday's games will be on the UNCG Sports YouTube channel. 

Probable Pitching Matchups

Game 1 - UNCG |  Jack Maynard, Jr. - RHP (1-1, 6.75 ERA, 24.0 IP, 26 Ks) vs. Western Carolina | Bryan Sammons - Sr., LHP (4-0, 2.27 ERA, 35.2 IP, 36 Ks)

Game 2 - UNCG | Bryce Hensley, Jr. - LHP (3-2, 3.03 ERA, 29.2 IP, 35 Ks) vs. Western Carolina | Tristan Baker - So., LHP (1-2, 6.45 ERA, 22.1 IP, 10 Ks)

Game 3 - UNCG | Matt Frisbee, So. - RHP (3-1, 3.99 ERA, 29.1 IP, 21 Ks) vs. Western Carolina | Brendan Nail - Jr., LHP (1-4, 10.21 ERA, 27.1 IP, 31 Ks)

A Little History -- Western Carolina

The Spartans and Catamounts have met 63 times on the baseball diamond, with UNCG holding a slight 32-31 advantage.  Last season, Western Carolina took the series 2-1 in Cullowhee.  WCU took games one and two, 8-5, 19-8, respectively.  UNCG salvaged the final game of the series, earning an 8-5 victory.  The last meeting in Greensboro featured a 2-1 series victory for the Spartans.  UNCG took game one 17-2 before falling in game two, 17-6.  UNCG took the rubber game, earning a 7-4 victory.

Scouting the Spartans

UNCG has won six-straight games entering the first Southern Conference series this weekend against Western Carolina.  The Spartans were able to grind out a 5-4 victory over North Carolina A&T last night at First National Bank Field, home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers.  After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, three pitchers combined to throw the final 8.1 innings, allowing just one unearned run.  As a team, UNCG is hitting for a .327 average, and leads the nation with 17 triples.

The Spartan offense is one of the top in the country, hitting at a .327 average.  UNCG scores 8.14 runs per game.  After hitting nine triples last weekend, UNCG leads the country with 17 three-baggers, averaging 0.81 per game.  Caleb Webster (Randleman, N.C./Randleman) and Austin Embler (Southern Pines, N.C./Pinecrest) each hit over a .420 average.  Webster leads the team with a .449 average in 49 at bats.  The freshman has hit seven doubles and a pair of triples while driving in 16 runs.  Embler has appeared in 20 games, hitting at a .427 clip.  Embler has connected for four doubles and driven two out of the park with 20 RBI.  Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) has hit for a .386 average and leads the team with five triples.  He has also scored a team-best 27 runs and stolen five bases. 

UNCG will feature the same rotation this weekend as the previous five weeks. Jack Maynard (Crozet, Va./Patrick Henry CC) will start Friday night.  The junior right-handed pitcher has thrown in 24.0 innings, striking out 26 hitters.  Maynard earned a quality start against Princeton two weeks ago.  He earned his first victory over Lafayette a week ago, logging 5.0 innings, surrendering seven hits and four earned runs.  He has struck out at least seven hitters in his last three outings.  Bryce Hensley (Asheville, N.C./Catawba Valley CC) has been dominant in his last three outings.  Hensley has earned victories and has gone a minimum 7.0 innings in the last three.  Against Princeton, Hensley threw 8.0 innings, allowing three hits in eight innings and struck out 13 hitters.  The 13 strikeouts are the most in an outing since Chris Mason in 2005.  Hensley threw a complete 7.0 inning game in a victory over Lafayette. He scattered three hits, two runs, one earned and struck out nine batters.  Matt Frisbee (Candler, N.C./Enka) will start the series finale. Frisbee started the season with three-straight quality outings, earning a 3-0 record. In his last two, Frisbee has gone 8.1 innings, striking out five hitters.

The Spartan bullpen has been anchored by juniors Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs), Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy) and Alex Sova (Midland, Mich./Kellogg CC).  Wantz and Sykes have worked in a team-high nine games.  Wantz has thrown in 27.1 innings, striking out a team-best 38 hitters.  His 12.51 strikeouts per nine innings pitched ranks 33rd in the country.  He has earned a 5-2 record, with a save and a 3.95 ERA.  Sykes has earned a 1.42 ERA and has tallied five saves in 12.2 innings.  Sykes has struck out 15 hitters this season, and has recorded at least one strikeout in his last 32 appearances.  Sova has made six appearances, working in 8.1 innings.  Sova holds opponents to a .179 average against and has struck out 10 hitters while earning a 2.16 ERA.

Scouting the Catamounts

Western Carolina enters this weekend 8-12 overall, and is coming off of a 15-13 slugfest loss to Gardner-Webb Wednesday night.  The Catamounts have lost five of their last six games.  Western Carolina scores an average of 6.8 runs per game.  Over the last four games, WCU averages 8.5 per game.  Western Carolina has been tested early this season, facing six ranked opponents, going 2-4 in those contests.  Western's last three-game series was played at home against the Kent State Golden Flashes.  WCU went 1-2 over the weekend, taking game one 10-2, and falling in the second a third games, 16-10 and 2-1, respectively. 

The Catamounts hit for a .292 average, fourth-best in the league.  WCU is led by Brett Pope.  Pope, a junior infielder, hits at a .333 average having started in all 20 games.  Pope has gone for extra bases six times, including one home run.  He has driven in 12 runs and swiped four bases.  Four others hit over the .300 mark who have played in all 20 games.  Bryson Bowman, a first team preseason All-SoCon honoree, hits at a .308 average with three home runs.  He has driven in 16 runs and stole three bases.  Spencer Holcomb provides the pop in the Catamount lineup.  Holcomb has only started eight games, but appeared in six off the bench.  Holcomb has hit four home runs, driving in 11.  First baseman Matt Smith leads the team with 22 RBI, having hit eight doubles and a home run with a .304 average.

The Catamount rotation features three players who have started at least four games.  Bryan Sammons will start in the series opener.  Sammons has appeared in six games, making five  starts.  The senior has earned a 4-0 record with a save.  Sammons has thrown in 35.2 innings, striking out 36 hitters while holding opponents to a .184 average.  He has earned a 2.27 ERA, having allowed just nine earned runs.  Last season, Sammons started the Friday night matchup against UNCG.  He earned the win, logging 5.0 innings, giving up four earned runs and striking out six Spartans.  Tristan Baker will start Saturday.  Baker has started four games, earning a 1-2 record.  In his 22.1 innings, Baker has earned a 6.45 ERA and opponents hit at a .315 average.  Brendan Nail will start the finale.  Nail has started five games, appearing in two out of the bullpen.  Nail has earned a 1-4 record in 27.1 innings, earning a 10.21 ERA.  Korey Anderson has made the most appearances out of the bullpen.  Anderson has made 10 bullpen appearances, throwing in 13.1 innings.  He has struck out 15 hitters and has earned one save to go with a 6.08 ERA. 

UNCG and Western Carolina kick off the Southern Conference season this Friday at 6 p.m.

-UNCG-