BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UNCG baseball splits its doubleheader against Samford on Friday, with a chance to take a fourth straight SoCon series with a win this Saturday in Birmingham. The Spartans fell in an 8-3 final in game one before coming back with an 11-4 decision in the second leg of the doubleheader. UNCG was boosted by a three-hit, two-home run, six-RBI effort from
Corey Rosier in that second game, the third time this year that the outfielder has driven in six in a single contest.
UNCG took early leads in both of their doubleheader contests on Friday, but their advantage in game one wouldn't hold out.
The Spartans didn't get a hit until the third, but
Robbie O'Neal's leadoff single would be the beginning of a two-run frame, as he and
Pres Cavenaugh came across on a
Greg Hardison single a few at bats later. O'Neal's and Hardison's knocks were the first of a multi-hit performance for the two hitters, as they both finished with a pair in game one.
UNCG starter
Austin Koehn puzzled the Samford hitters the first time through the order. After hitting the first batter he faced on his very first pitch of the afternoon, Koehn retired eight straight batters before seeing his no-hitter broken up with one out remaining in the third. The Bulldogs plated an unearned run in the third, but it wasn't until the fourth that the home team was able to get to the Spartan righty, taking a lead that they would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest.
Samford scored in five straight innings from the third through the seventh, eventually taking an 8-2 lead.
Making a pinch-hitting appearance in the eighth,
David Flores brought his team back within five on a solo shot off the batter's eye in center field but the back end of the Samford bullpen kept the visitors scoreless through the final four outs of the game for an 8-3 victory.
Game two was another chance for the Spartans to take an early lead as UNCG hit the ground running in the first inning. All three batters in the top of the UNCG order touched first in the opening frame, with
Josh Madole following back-to-back walks from
Corey Rosier and Hardison with an RBI single.
The Spartans added another in the first, off an error against the Samford defense to go up 2-0, and wouldn't have long to wait before doubling their lead with a little more help from the Bulldogs.
Sam Koruschak led off the fourth with a walk before advancing to second on a balk and scoring on a Rosier sac fly. Hardison doubled later in the frame before an error and a wild pitch helped the Spartans to make it 4-0.
On the bump, UNCG starter
Brendan Collins was near untouchable through the first four innings. The right hander allowed just a single hit before his fifth frame of work, and while the Bulldogs managed to draw three walks during that time, Collins stranded all baserunners while striking out four.
Samford did finally get on the board with four runs in the fifth, but those ultimately made little difference as the Spartan bats prepared to tee off for their four final offensive frames.
Dallas Callahan led off the sixth with a walk before Rosier became the second Spartan to hit the center field batter's eye on Friday, sending a two-run shot to the deepest part of Joe Lee Griffin Field to retake UNCG's lead.
Most ballplayers would be happy with two knocks, three RBI and a homer, but Rosier hadn't had enough. Once again watching his teammate Callahan reach first, the redshirt-sophomore from Waldorf, Md. launched his second long ball of the night and his 12th of the season out to right field, and added his sixth RBI of the contest on a sac fly in the ninth.
Pres Cavenaugh moved his team's home run total in game two to three with a leadoff solo shot in the ninth. His knock and Rosier's sac fly combined with
Bradley Bott's RBI double for three runs in the top half of the final inning as the Spartans completed the 11-4 victory.
With UNCG's split of the doubleheader they now have the opportunity to win their fourth straight SoCon series with a finale win on Saturday as they continue to chase Western Carolina for the final spot in this year's conference tournament.
#letsgoG
