CONWAY, S.C.  – UNCG baseball tallied their best offensive performance of opening day weekend, tallying 14 hits in an 11-4 win over San Diego State. The Spartans' offensive production was their third straight competition with double-digit knocks, as UNCG moves to 2-1 on the year. 

UNCG scored a pair of first inning runs for the first time this year, opening their final game of the weekend with a walk and a pair of knocks in the bottom half of the frame. Following up a Josh Madole base on balls with his second double of the year, Greg Hardison and his teammate crossed home plate thanks to a Caleb Webster single and a passed ball, giving the Spartans a 2-0 advantage going to the second. 

The Aztecs would chip away at UNCG's lead, going ahead 3-2 in the third, before the Spartans tied things up in the bottom half. The Spartans rallied with two outs in the frame, with Hogan Windish getting plunked and moving into scoring position on a fielding error in the next at bat. Senior Jacquez Koonce delivered the tying run on an infield single, putting things even at three apiece.

UNCG doubled up on the Aztecs in the fourth, driving in three runs off the bats of Madole, Webster and Windish. Zack Budzik stole his fourth base of the season during the frame, before scoring on the Madole single, while Madole scored off Hardison's second double of 2020. Windish drove in his fourth run of the season on a sac fly to left, bringing the Spartans' lead to 6-3.

Coming in relief of starter Jeremiah Triplett in the fourth inning, junior Phillip Sanderson tossed 3.2 scoreless innings on the way to securing the winning decision. The right-hander faced three over the minimum while giving up a single knock, recording strikeouts against a pair of Aztec batters.

The Spartans used some small ball to increase their lead in the fifth. After Koonce led the inning off with a double, the senior was moved over on a sac bunt, before scoring on a Pres Cavenaugh sac fly. The RBI was the first of Cavenaugh's collegiate career, making his first-ever start in a UNCG uniform against SDSU.

UNCG scored one or more runs in six straight innings from the third to the eighth. The Spartans worked the delayed double steal to score Hardison in inning number six, while Cavenaugh drove in his second run of the day on a seventh inning single. 

Swinging at the first pitch in the bottom of the eighth, Webster tallied his first homer of the year with a shot over left center, giving the senior a game-high four hits on the day. His solo shot was followed up with a double and a walk, with Windish scoring the Spartans' 11th run off a pinch hit double from Mike Ferrara. 

SDSU would add another run in the top of the ninth but were unable to overcome the Spartans' stout lead, taking their first loss of the season in an 11-4 final. 

Things To Know
-- Senior Caleb Webster went 4-for-5 with three RBI against the Aztecs, falling just a triple short of the cycle

-- Nine of 10 Spartans to make a plate appearance on Sunday delivered a hit, while the team hit 6-for-17 (.353) with runners in scoring position

-- Budzik is 4-for-4 on stolen base attempts this year. With Cavenaugh's stolen bag against the Aztecs, the Spartans are 5-for-6 on the season thus far 

Coming Up Next
The Spartans get into the full swing of the season on Tuesday, traveling to Winston-Salem for their second ACC matchup of the year, against Wake Forest. UNCG holds a 16-43 record against Wake all-time, but has beaten the side in each of the past two seasons. 

-- UNCG –