GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG baseball hits the road for the third-straight weekend as the Spartans head to Lexington, Va. for a Southern Conference series against the VMI Keydets. UNCG enters 27-16 overall and 10-5 in the SoCon. VMI comes into the series at 18-25 and 4-11 in league play.
Live stats and video streams will be available for all three games of the series. All three games will be available on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. Friday and Saturday's game's will start up at 6 p.m., and the finale on Sunday will begin at 2 p.m.
Probable Pitching Matchups * Subject to Change
Game 1 - UNCG | Bryce Hensley. Jr. - LHP (6-4, 4.20 ERA, 60.0 IP, 53 Ks) vs. VMI | Josh Winder, So. - RHP (5-4, 3.35 ERA, 80.2 IP, 90 Ks)
Game 2 - UNCG | Matt Frisbee, So. - RHP (6-2, 4.10 ERA, 63.2 IP, 49 Ks) vs. VMI | Brandon Barbery, Jr. - LHP (0-8, 7.32 ERA, 55.1 IP, 48 Ks)
Game 3 - UNCG | Dan Loats, Jr. - RHP (4-2, 4.96 ERA, 52.2 IP, 53 Ks) vs. VMI | TBA
A Little History -- VMI
The Spartans and Bears have played 32 times in school history. The Spartans own a 22-10 advantage in the all-time series. Last season at the UNCG Baseball Stadium, the Spartans defeated the Keydets in all three games. The last trip to Lexington, UNCG dropped two of three games, salvaging the series finale.
Scouting the Spartans
Recent Games
UNCG comes into the series having taken two of three games from the league-leading Mercer Bears, and completing the season sweep over the Elon Phoenix. The Spartans defeated the Bears on Friday and Sunday to take the series. Against Elon on Tuesday, UNCG defeated the Phoenix, 10-3. UNCG took both games fromt Elon this season, the first time the Spartans took the season series since both teams were members of the Southern Conference in 2014.
Offense
Table Setters
Ben Spitznagel - Spitznagel has made 37 starts this season, hitting at the lead off, or number two spot in the order. He hits at a .357 average with ten extra base hits. Spitznagel has stolen 12 bases this season and scored 35 runs. Against Mercer on Sunday, Spitznagel hit a two-run home run, his second in his career, to take a 3-2 lead in the rubber match of the series.
Caleb Webster - The freshman standout is second in the country with a .417 batting average in 37 games this season. The freshman leads the team with 12 doubles on the season. His 35 RBI is third-best on the team and scored 32 runs. He has hit in the second, fifth and sixth spots in the order.
Andrew Moritz - Moritz has started 42 games in center field this season. The sophomore has a .395 career batting average which ranks as the best batting average in school history. Moritz is currently fourth in the country with six triples this season. The sophomore has scored a team-high 45 runs this season and has stole a team-best 13 bases.
Power
Cesar Trejo - Trejo leads the team with eight home runs this season and has driven in 46 runs. A D1baseball.com Freshman All-American and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in 2016, Trejo hits at a .320 average this season in 40 games. The sophomore has a .569 slugging percentage having hit seven doubles and a pair of triples. Trejo is currently on an 11-game hitting streak, hitting cleanup or the fifth spot of the order
Michael Goss - Goss hits at a .326 average this season and has driven in 36 runs. The senior first baseman has driven in at least one run in 15 of the last 17 games. Goss is second on the team with 10 doubles and has hit five home runs this season. He saw his 15-game hit streak snapped on Friday night at Ohio State, but has recorded a hit in 30 of 37 games this season.
Tripp Shelton - Shelton provides sneaky pop from the shortstop position. Shelton has hit four 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 117 career starts at shortstop and has helped turn 19 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 five quality starts and has struck out at least two hitters in every appearance. When Hensley goes 6.0 innings, UNCG is 11-0. Curveball, slider is his outpitch.
Matt Frisbee - Frisbee has started every game in his UNCG career, making 11 starts this season. The sophomore has logged a team-high 63.2 innings, and has thrown in 132.1 innings since arriving in Greensboro. UNCG has gone 18-8 in Frisbee's starts and has recorded 100 strikeouts for his career.
Dan Loats - Loats has worked himself into the weekend rotation and will be starting his fifth Sunday contest of the season. Earlier this season, Loats worked as the midweek starter and made relief appearances in two games. Loats has gone at least 4.2 innings in his last seven appearances, with two quality starts mixed in. He struck out a career-best nine in 5.0 innings against Wofford.
Relief Pitching
Andrew Wantz - Wantz has made a team-high 19 appearances on the season. The right-hander has gone 5-4 with four saves in 52.1 innings of work. He has struck out 52 hitters this season and has 185 strikeouts in his career. Wantz works in any tough situation needed
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 eight bullpen appearances, allowing just two earned runs in that time. In two appearances last week, Maynard threw 5.0 innings, allowing just three hits and striking out four batters. Maynard earned his first career save Friday night against Mercer, throwing 3.0 innings, striking out three Bears in an 8-4 win.
Brandon Stephens - Stephens has worked in 13 games, making one start this season. The freshman threw in two games last weekend. Against Mercer, Stephens through 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit and struck out two batters. Against Elon on Tuesday, he allowed one hit in 1.0 innings striking out two batters.
Scouting the Keydets
Recent Games
VMI enters having dropped three-straight games, and 11 of its last 12. The Keydets played a nonconference series last weekend, dropping two of three games to the Radford Highlanders. In VMI's midweek contest, the Keydets fell to the VCU Rams, 11-4. VMI is 4-11 in Southern Conference play, having taken a series from Wofford.
Offense
Table Setters
Jacob Jaye - Hit as the leadoff hitter in several games this season. Has scored 28 runs and driven in 23 in 41 starts. A shortstop, Jay hits at a .262 average and has a .376 on-base percentage.
Matt Pita - Leads the Keydets with a .352 average in 27 games this season. Has scored 22 runs and has driven in 20. The outfielder is currently on a four-game hit streak.
Power
Tyler Tharp - Hits at a .325 average in 44 games this season. Leads the team with 11 home runs, three triples and 30 RBI. 7-for-8 on stolen bases this season, the outfielder has had multiple hits in four of the last five games.
Peyton Maddox - The VMI catcher has hit at a .289 average in 44 games this season. Maddox has hit six home runs and leads the team with 15 doubles. He has driven in 29 runs, has scored 31 and is on a four-game hit streak.
Collin Fleischer - A preseason All-SoCon second team selection, Fleischer has started in 39 games, hitting at a .247 average. The utility player has hit ten home runs, driven in 29 runs and scored 35 times. He has recorded hits in three of his last four games.
Starting Pitching
Josh Winder - Has worked as the Friday night starter for several games this season. He earned SoCon Pitcher of the Week honors after throwing a complete game with 12 strikeouts against Samford. Winder has struck out 90 hitters and has thrown at least 6.0 innings in every start. He's struck out at least ten hitters in five appearances.
Brandon Barbery - Has started 11 games, earning an 0-8 record. He has logged 55.1 innings, striking out 48 batters. His last outing against Radford, he allowed seven earned runs in 4.2 innings of work, suffering the loss.
Relief Pitching
Ryan Bennett - Has earned a 4-0 record in 16 appearances this season. Bennett has recorded a team-best 1.93 ERA in 32.2 innings His last outing, he went a season-long 5.0 innings, striking out seven batters. He leads VMI with four saves on the season.
Derek Tremblay - Has made 21 appearances, working in 24.0 innings. He has struck out 19 batters and earned a 1-1 record. He has a 6.38 ERA. In his last outing, Tremblay went 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and one run against Radford.
Mason Adamson - 14 appearances this season as a pitcher. Started the Sunday game against Radford, going 3.1 innings, allowing six runs, earning his third loss of the year. He has a 5.40 ERA and opponents hit .333 against him.
-UNCG-
