LEXINGTON, Va. - Working around a 90-minute delay in the middle of the eighth inning, UNCG baseball secured a 13-2 win in game one of the Spartans' doubleheader at VMI to even the series at a game apiece. Getting his second start of the season, Coleman Sawyer took advantage of his role in the designated hitter spot, delivering three hits and four RBI in game one. Zack Budzik drove in four runs of his own on two hits and a sac fly, giving the infielder six RBI through the first two games of the weekend series.

The Spartans dove in early at the start of Saturday's doubleheader. Eight Spartans made plate appearances in the opening inning of game one, while a sac fly from Pres Cavenaugh and a bases loaded single from Coleman Sawyer gave UNCG the three-run advantage in the opening frame.

Josh Madole used the long ball to increase his team's lead in the fourth. Sawyer led off the frame with his second hit of the day but would get caught stealing for the first out of the inning. Catcher Dallas Callahan replaced the Spartan runner with his own single, before Madole registered his two-run shot to right center. 

Madole's homer was his second of the season, and his fourth hit of the series against VMI, giving him three extra-base knocks in the past four games alone.

The Keydets responded with a two-run homer of their own in the bottom half of the inning to cut into the Spartans' 5-0 lead. Those two runs were the only surrendered by starting right hander Jacob Curry, who held VMI hitless through the first three innings. Curry turned in a quality start over his six-inning start, holding the Keydets to just three hits and a pair of walks while earning his first winning decision of the season, and his longest appearance on the mound since arriving in Greensboro. 

The home runs continued into the sixth, with Sawyer delivering his third hit of the contest during his third at bat of the night. With Zack Budzik starting off the frame with a single to left, Sawyer tallied his first long ball of the year with a shot to right center. The side added another run in the seventh after Budzik grabbed his third RBI of the weekend on a sacrifice fly to score Greg Hardison.

The 8-2 score held out until one out into the eighth when the Spartans and Keydets were forced to take a seat due to a 90-minute lightning delay. 

The delay didn't stop the Spartans from extending their lead at the restart however. With Matt Kemp and Madole reaching on a walk and a hit by pitch respectively Rosier received another free pass straight out of the break to load the bases. Hardison responded with an RBI groundout before Hogan Windish loaded the bases for UNCG once again on a six-pitch walk. Pres Cavenaugh walked in a run for UNCG's 10th run of the night, before Budzik cleared the bases on a double to left. 

All nine Spartan starters stepped into the box during the eighth as the visitors opened up a 13-2 lead. That score proved to be the final score after Spartan reliever Alex Hoppe delivered a perfect frame in the bottom half, ending game one after eight innings.

>>> Batting six through eight in the order, Budzik, Sawyer and Dallas Callahan accounted for seven of the Spartans' 10 hits in game one, driving in eight runs overall
>>> Madole and Cavenaugh each drove in a pair as well, with the former collecting his fourth knock of the series
>>> UNCG drew seven walks against the VMI pitching staff, with Rosier and Windish each collecting two. The Spartans have had seven or more walks on seven occasions this season, going 6-1 when doing so
>>> Hoppe and Daniel Cerda each tallied three outs on the mound, with neither righty giving up a hit or a run. Combined with Curry's final three outs the three Spartan arms kept the Keydets without a hit through their final three offensive frames

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