GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG baseball welcomes back the Princeton Tigers for a four-game series this weekend. Princeton will be making its 10th trip in the last 11 seasons to take on UNCG. The four-game series is set to begin on Friday at 4:00 p.m. Saturday will feature a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. with the series finale occurring Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The Spartans currently hold an 18-4 advantage in the all-time series with the Tigers.
All games will feature live stats as well as a video stream via the UNCG Sports YouTube page. Links for each of these services are on the UNCG baseball schedule page.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Game 1 - UNCG | Jack Maynard, Jr. - RHP (0-1, 8.53 ERA, 13.1 IP, 3 Ks) vs. Princeton | Chad Powers, RHP (0-1, 6.75 ERA, 4.0 IP, 6 Ks)
Game 2 - UNCG | Bryce Hensley, Jr. - LHP (1-2, 5.52 ERA, 14.2 IP, 13 Ks) vs. Princeton | James Proctor RHP (0-1, 6.00 ERA, 6.00 IP, 4 Ks)
Game 3 - UNCG | Matt Frisbee, So. - RHP (3-0, 0.43 ERA, 21.0 IP, 16 Ks) vs. Princeton | Ben Gross, RHP (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 8 Ks)
Game 4 - UNCG | TBA vs. Princeton | Keelan Smithers, LHP (0-1, 22.50 ERA, 2.0 IP, 0 Ks)
Scouting the Spartans
UNCG enters having won four-straight games. The Spartans earned a weekend sweep over Maryland Eastern Shore and knocked off Elon in Tuesday's midweek performance. The Blue and Gold's offense woke up a little over the weekend, and have put up double-digit runs in back-to-back games for the first time this season entering this weekend's games. UNCG's team average is hovering around the .300 mark for the first time this season. The Spartans have five players who have played in half the team's games that are hitting over the .300 plateau.
Caleb Webster (Randleman, N.C./Randleman) took a few at bats to get comfortable, but the Spartan infielder has since gone 8-for-10 with four extra base hits and has driven in five runs in the last two UNCG victories. Austin Embler (Southern Pines, N.C./Pinecrest) has produced in 11 games this season. The redshirt sophomore has hit at a .378 average with three doubles and driven in nine runs. After a slow start, Andrew Moritz (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) has looked every bit of his Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American form. Moritz is currently on an eight-game hit streak and has reached base in all but one game. He has reached base safely in 51 of 53 career games played.
Three Spartans are tied for the team-lead in home runs. Last season's home run leader Dillon Stewart (Dunn, N.C./Brunswick CC) has smacked two out of the park this season, including a grand slam against Maryland Eastern Shore. Stewart also leads the team with 11 RBI on the year. Michael Goss (Cartersville, Ga./Chattanooga State CC) has connected for a pair of home runs. He hit home runs in back-to-back games in the Michigan State series. Ryan Clinch (Jamestown, N.C./Brunswick CC) has been a surprise power threat in the lineup. The junior has made 11 starts, playing in all 12 games behind the plate. Clinch has hit two home runs and a triple as he has driven in nine runs and scored 11 more. Stewart leads the team with four stolen bases.
The Spartan rotation has been consistent in the early goings of the 2017 season. Jack Maynard (Crozet, Va./Patrick Henry CC) has started every Friday night game. The Crozet, Va. native has thrown in 12.2 innings, striking out 11 batters. Bryce Hensley (Asheville, N.C./Catawba Valley CC) has thrown on Saturday's. Hensley has logged 14.2 innings. In his last outing, the southpaw tied a career-high 7.0 innings pitched with eight strikeouts. Matt Frisbee (Candler, N.C./Enka) has been the most consistent starter in the rotation for UNCG. The sophomore has thrown 7.0 innings in all three starts and has allowed just one run this season. Opponents are batting .139 against him as he has posted an 8:1 strikeout to walk ratio. His 0.43 is best in the SoCon, and 32nd in the nation.
The bulk of the bullpen duties have been handled by Andrew Wantz (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs), Chad Sykes (Creedmoor, N.C./Voyager Academy) and Jake Lewis (Wendell, N.C./Cornith Holders). Wantz has thrown in 17.0 innings, striking out 25 batters, earning a save and a 2-1 record. Sykes has earned two saves on the season , while earning a 1.04 ERA. Sykes has fanned six hitters in his 8.2 innings of work, and has recorded a strikeout in every outing this season. Lewis is the primary lefty out of the bullpen. He has thrown in 5.1 innings, striking out six batters in that span. His longest outing came during opening weekend as he logged 2.2 innings, giving up just one hits and striking out another as he held South Carolina scoreless in his appearance.
Scouting the Tigers
Princeton enters having played just four games on the season, and are scheduled to play 39 this season. The Tigers opened the season last weekend as they traveled to Durham, N.C. for a four-game series with the Duke Blue Devils. Princeton was outscored 25-5 in the series. Princeton scored a season-high two runs in the second game of the series Saturday afternoon.
The Tiger offense has hit for a .180 average through its first four games. Jesper Horsted leads the team with a .364 average in three starts. Zack Belski and Nick Hernandez are the only two players who started every game in the Duke series. Belski has hit at a .286 average with a home run and an RBI. Hernandez has a .200 average in 15 at bats. The left-handed outfielder has scored one run. Princeton has driven in three runs total, with David Harding, Max West and Belski contributing the RBI. Hernandez has the team's lone stolen base.
Princeton will feature the same rotation as it did on its opening weekend. Chad Powers started the season opener for the Tigers. The senior right-hander tossed 4.0 innings, striking out six batters and allowing one walk. Ben Gross will start game two. In his last outing he logged 5.0 shutout innings. He scattered two his and struck out eight. James Proctor started the last game, allowing four hits in 6.0 innings of work. he allowed five hits and four earned runs while striking out two. Keelan Smithers started game two, throwing in 2.0 innings, allowing four walks and five earned runs.. Chris Giglio made a 4.0 inning relief appearance in the first game, without allowing a run.
UNCG begins its four-game series with Princeton Friday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium at 4:00 p.m.
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