GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG baseball hits the road for the first time in two weeks as the first-place Spartans will battle with the second-place Wofford Terriers this weekend at Russell C. King Field in Spartanburg. The Spartans enter at 29-10 and 10-2 in Southern Conference play, having swept one of the hottest teams in the nation in Samford a week ago. Wofford brings in a record of 28-14 and 9-3 in league action. With just three SoCon weekends remaining in the season, this weekend's series will play a role in the seeding of the upcoming SoCon Tournament presented by Holston Gases in Greenville, South Carolina.
There will be live stats and video available for all three games this weekend. Live stats are courtesy of WoffordTerriers.com, with streams on the SoCon Digital Network. The three-game series is set to begin Friday night at 6, followed by games Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Spartans lead the all-time series with Wofford, 45-21. Last season, the Terriers came to Greensboro and took two of three games from the Spartans. The last meetings in Spartanburg saw the Spartans fall in the Friday night game before winning the final two games of the series by an identical score of 6-1.
Last weekend featured the Spartans participating in another matchup of the top two teams in the SoCon, this time with the Spartans in second place. UNCG snapped Samford's 13-game winning streak in decisive fashion as UNCG earned the program's first series sweep of the Bulldogs. A key component to the series sweep was Bryce Hensley's Saturday outing. The senior threw his first nine-inning complete game as the Spartans took the series with a 7-2 win in the Saturday matchup.
This weekend will feature a familiar rotation. Matt Frisbee is scheduled for Friday night, with Hensley set to take the ball Saturday. Sunday's starter has yet to be determined, as three Spartans have seen time in the Sunday starter role. Frisbee will be making his 42nd start of his career. He's thrown three complete games and has already surpassed his season-high with 85 strikeouts this season. He ranks 32nd in the nation as he averages 12.02 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. Hensley is set to throw Saturday, making his 39th career start. Hensley continues to make opposing teams work as he's walked just 13 hitters this season with just 10 extra base hits in 58.0 innings of work.
Jack Maynard, Andrew Wantz and Easton Welch anchor the Spartan bullpen. Maynard and Wantz form two of the more formidable closers in the SoCon. Each has earned eight saves and four wins this season. Maynard has a team-low 1.62 ERA and was named to the National College Baseball Writer's of American's Stopper of the Year Midseason Watchlist. Maynard has struck out 63 hitters in 50.0 innings, trailing just Frisbee for the team lead. Wantz has earned a 3.26 ERA in 38.2 innings of work. He's fanned 54 hitters and allowed just eight extra base hits in his 19 appearances. Welch works more in the middle innings, having appeared in 21 games, throwing 32.0 innings. He has also earned four wins on the season and holds opponents to a team-low .194 average against.
The talented tandem of Andrew Moritz and Cesar Trejo lead the Spartan offense. Moritz leads the team with a .430 batting average with 39 runs scored, 38 RBI and 18 extra-base hits. He's currently tied for the program record with eight triples on the season and holds the UNCG and SoCon record with 21 career triples. Trejo hits at a .387 average with a team-high 23 extra-base hits and 43 RBI and is a perfect 17-for-17 in stolen base attempts.
Not to be outdone, sophomore infielder Caleb Webster earned his second Player of the Week award this season for his efforts last week. In four games last week, Webster recorded multiple RBI in three games and was clutch all weekend as five of his eight RBI came with two outs in the inning. He added a pair of sacrifice bunts and has scored 35 runs on the season.
The Terriers continue to be a tough out this season, getting the job done on the mound, in the batter's box and on the bases. Wofford leads the SoCon and ranks second in the nation with 114 stolen bases, averaging 2.71 per game. McClain Bradley leads the Terriers with a .368 batting average in 41 games. He's hit nine doubles with four home runs and driven in 32 while swiping 15 bases. Mack Nathanson hits at a .354 clip with a team-high nine home runs and 40 RBI to go with 16 stolen bases. Sophomore Brett Rodriguez leads the team with 24 stolen bases in 27 attempts. He hits at a .283 clip and has scored 40 runs while starting all 42 games.
Friday night starter Adam Scott leads the Terriers with a 6-3 record and a team-best 2.60 ERA. He's logged 69.1 innings this season, striking out 89 hitters to lead all SoCon pitchers. Scott has given up 14 extra-base hits with eight home runs as opponents hit just .202 against the senior southpaw. Austin Higginbotham will get the ball Saturday evening. Higginbotham has a 4.63 ERA and a 5-2 record in 68.0 innings. He's struck out 50 hitters and has allowed 24 extra-base hits and opponents hit .293 against him. Sunday's starter has yet to be determined.
The bullpen has seen three pitchers see significant time strictly in relief. Anthony Garcia has appeared in 20 games, logging 34.1 innings and a team-high five saves. He's earned a 2-0 record with 39 strikeouts. Jake Hershman has a 3.86 ERA in 16 relief appearances. He's picked up three saves in 32.2 innings of work with 30 strikeouts. Matt Ellmyer adds a 5-0 record in 16 relief appearances. Ellmyer has logged 34.0 innings, allowing just six walks and striking out 36 hitters this season.
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