GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG baseball is set to tango with the Southern Conference-leading Mercer Bears in a three-game series in Macon, Ga. this weekend. The Spartans are coming in having taken two of three games from the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. Mercer enters with a 35-9 record and is 14-1 in the SoCon. The 35 wins are the most at the Division I level.
UNCG currently sits in third place in the SoCon standings, with an 8-4 record. Mercer sits atop the conference with its 14-1 mark. The Bears have won 12-straight SoCon games, with series sweeps of Furman, Samford, at VMI and at The Citadel. The Spartans have won three of four SoCon series, including a sweep of Furman at home.
Friday and Saturday's games will be streamed on the American Sports Network. The games will also feature a radio broadcast on the Mercer Sports Network. Live stats are available for each game. Links for these services are on the UNCG baseball schedule page.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Game 1 - UNCG | Bryce Hensley. Jr. - LHP (5-4, 4.50 ERA, 54.0 IP, 51 Ks) vs. Mercer | Ryan Askew, Sr. - RHP (4-0, 4.08 ERA, 64.0 IP, 45 Ks)
Game 2 - UNCG | Matt Frisbee, So. - RHP (6-2, 3.71 ERA, 60.2 IP, 46 Ks) vs. Mercer | Austin Cox, So. - LHP (3-1, 5.29 ERA, 49.1 IP, 68 Ks)
Game 3 - UNCG | Dan Loats, Jr. - RHP (3-2, 5.28 ERA, 46.0 IP, 49 Ks) vs. Mercer | Kevin Coulter, So. - RHP (4-2, 4.85 ERA, 52.0 IP, 33 Ks)
A Little History -- Mercer
The Spartans and Bears have played nine times in school history. UNCG is 4-5 all-time with Mercer. Last season, the teams met in Greensboro with the Southern Conference Regular Season Championship on the line. Due to inclement weather, the two teams played a doubleheader Friday and a single game on Saturday. The teams split Friday's games with UNCG falling 9-1 in the winner-take-all final game of the season. Two year's ago, Mercer's first in the SoCon, UNCG took two of three games from the Bears at Claude Smith field in Macon. The three other meetings were in a three-game series in 1998, also in Macon.
Scouting the Spartans
Recent Games
UNCG enters having taken two of three games in Columbus, Ohio against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Spartans racked up double-digit hits in all three outings against the Buckeyes. The Blue and Gold opened the series with 17 hits Friday, 16 Saturday and closed the series out with a 12-hit performance on Sunday. Andrew Moritz tallied multiple hits in each game of the series.
Offense
Table Setters
Ben Spitznagel - Spitznagel has made 32 starts this season, hitting at the lead off, or number two spot in the order. He hits at a .352 average with seven extra base hits. Spitznagel has stolen nine bases this season, scored 31 runs and drove in 22. He has a .432 on-base percentage.
Caleb Webster - The freshman standout leads the country with a .432 batting average in 33 games this season. Webster has started 30 games at third base and leads the team with 11 doubles. Webster has scored 28 runs and driven in 31. Webster has primarily hit in the second and fifth spots of the UNCG lineup.
Andrew Moritz - Moritz has started 38 games in centerfield this season. The sophomore has a .394 career batting average which ranks as the best batting average in school history. Moritz is currently third in the country with six triples this season. The sophomore has scored a team-high 42 runs this season and has stole a team-best 13 bases.
Power
Cesar Trejo - Trejo leads the team with seven home runs this season and has driven in 40 runs. A D1baseball.com Freshman All-American and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in 2016, Trejo hits at a .301 average this season in 36 games. The sophomore has a .537 slugging percentage having hit seven doubles and a pair of triples. Trejo is currently on a 13-game hitting streak.
Michael Goss - Goss hits at a .350 average this season and has driven in 34 runs. The senior first baseman has driven in at least one run in 11 of the last 13 games. Goss is second on the team with 10 doubles and has hit four home runs this season. He saw his 15-game hit streak snapped on Friday night at Ohio State, but has recorded a hit in 27 of 33 games this season.
Tripp Shelton - Shelton provides sneaky pop from the shortstop position. Shelton has hit three home runs, all within the last three weeks. Shelton has hit three home runs in each of his first two seasons. The junior has made 113 career starts at shortstop and has helped turn 16 double plays.
Starting Pitching
Bryce Hensley - Will be making his 11th start of the season, fourth on Friday night. He racked up a season-high 13 strikeouts in a 6-1 victory over Princeton. Hensley has earned four quality starts and has struck out at least two hitters in every appearance. When Hensley goes 6.0 innings, UNCG is 10-0.
Matt Frisbee - Frisbee has started every game in his UNCG career, making ten starts this season. The sophomore has logged a team-high 60.2 innings, and has thrown in 129.1 innings since arriving in Greensboro. UNCG has gone 18-7 in Frisbee's starts and he needs three strikeouts to reach 100 for his career.
Dan Loats - Loats has worked himself into the weekend rotation and will be starting his fourth Sunday contest of the season. Earlier this season, Loats worked as the midweek starters and made relief appearances in two games. Loats has gone at least 4.2 innings in his last six appearances, with a quality start mixed in. He struck out a career-best nine in 5.0 innigns against Wofford.
Relief Pitching
Andrew Wantz - Wantz has made a team-high 18 appearances on the season. The right-hnader has gone 5-3 with four saves in 47.0 innings of work. He has struck out 47 hitters this season and has 180 strikeouts in his career.
Alex Sova - Sova has appeared in 11 games, earning a 2.81 ERA in 16.0 innings. Sova has struck out 18 hitters and has given up five earned runs on the year. Opponents are hitting .196 against him.
Jack Maynard - Maynard has been a new addition to the bullpen after serving as the Friday night starter for the first seven weeks. Maynard has made six bullpen appearances, allowing just two earned runs in that time. In two appearances last week, Maynard threw 6.2 innings, striking out eight hitters and allowing just four hits. Maynard earned the win in the series opener against Ohio State
Scouting the Bears
Recent Games
Mercer enters having played a pair of midweek contests with Georgia Southern. In the home and home series, Mercer dropped both games with the Eagles. Its the third time in 2017 that Mercer has lost back-to-back games. Mercer has been one of the top programs in the country this season, with its 35 total wins being the most among any Division I programs. The Bears are currently ranked 22nd in the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association poll.
Offense
Table Setters
Ryan Hagan - Hits in the lead off spot having earned a .429 on-base percentage. Scored a 48 runs on 50 hits. Has 11 doubles with 5 home runs to go with 27 RBI. leads the team with 22 stolen bases in 24 attempts.
Danny Edgeworth - Leads the Bears with a .370 average in 44 starts. Has hit the Bears' only triple of the year. 41 RBI with 34 runs scored. .449 on-base percentage.
Jackson Ware - Has started 44 games, hitting at a .291 average. Has hit six home runs with five doubles. Scored 35 runs and has a .444 on-base percentage. 9-9 in stolen base attempts.
Power
Charlie Madden - Perfect Game/Rawlings Midseason All-American, two-time SoCon Player of the Week, Preseason All-SoCon Selection. Leads the Bears with 16 home runs. 50 RBI to go with 42 runs scored. Works as a catcher and designated hitter.
JT Thomas - Two-time SoCon Player of the Week. Transfer from Chattahoochee Valley CC. Team-best .675 slugging percentage, 52 RBI, and 59 hits. 17 doubles, 12 home runs. Has stolen two bases while committing just two errors this season.
Hunter Bening - Tied with Thomas for second on the team with 12 home runs. 39 RBI and has scored 29 times. Appeared in all 44 games, making 43 starts.
Starting Pitching
Ryan Askew - Has worked as the Friday night starter for the last two seasons. Has gone at least 6.0 innings in seven of his 10 starts.. In his last two starts, has allowed eight hits and given up five runs in each contest. Has struck out 45 hitters in a team-best 64.0 innings.
Austin Cox - Has made a team-high 11 starts. Struck out ten hitters in a 6.0 inning performance against Bradley. Two quality starts including a 6.0 inning, 10 strikeout performance at The Citadel a week ago.
Kevin Coulter - Nine starts with two bullpen appearances. Has earned quality starts in two of the last three outings. Has gone at least five innings in his five of his last six appearances. Season-high seven strikeouts last week in a 7.1 inning effort against The Citadel where he surrendered just one run.
Relief Pitching
Robert Broom - Ranks sixth in the country with 25 relief appearances. Works as a fireman out of the bullpen, appearing in tough situations at any point during a game. Has not allowed more than two runs in his last 21 appearances. 7-1 record with one save. Appearances have ranged from 0.1-5.0 innings.
Nick Spear - Works as the closer having earned a 5-1 record with seven saves. Hasn't allowed more than one run in his last 18 appearances... Recorded at least one strikeout in 21 of 22 appearances. Longest outing was 3.2 innings (3/14 vs. Georgia), shortest 0.1 (4/21 at The Citadel). Last time out, suffered the loss in a 10-inning bout with Georgia Southern.
Christian Vann - 25 relief appearances ranks sixth in the nation. Allowed 12 runs, all earned this season. Has struck out 42 hitters while issuing 15 walks. Hasn't allowed a run in his last eight appearances.
-UNCG-
