SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Freshman
Kennedy Jones led a 16-hit attack for the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team during a 12-11 setback to Wofford in the series finale of its Southern Conference weekend series at King Field Sunday.
Jones had a career-best four hits and finished a triple short of the cycle. Each hit also produced a RBI. He immediately set the tone by blasting the game's second pitch over the left-centerfield fence for his fourth homer of the season and a quick 1-0 lead.
Jones was a force all weekend for the Spartans as he finished the series 8-for-14 overall (.571 average). He has five straight games with at least two hits.
Junior
Dallas Callahan had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Callahan, who drove in a pair of runs, also threw out another runner – his fourth of the series – trying to steal second base.
Records
UNCG 14-18 overall 0-3 SoCon
Wofford 24-9, 3-0
How It Happened
- In the series finale against the SoCon preseason favorites, UNCG scored in five of the nine innings.
- Jones and Callahan scored three runs each.
- Junior Hogan Windish and sophomore Pres Cavenaugh had two hits each.
- The Spartans scored four runs in the second inning highlighted by RBI singles from sophomore Matt Kemp and Windish along with RBI doubles from Jones and Callahan.
- Trailing, 7-6 in the fifth inning, UNCG Jones tied the game with his third hit.
- Callahan's alert base running gave the Spartans an 8-7 advantage when he scored from third base after Jones intentionally got caught in a rundown long enough between first and second base to allow Callahan to cross the plate.
- The Spartans scored three times in the seventh inning to open an 11-8 advantage.
- Callahan's single scored Kemp and gave UNCG a 9-8 lead.
- Jones and Hardison followed with RBI doubles later in the inning that provided a three-run cushion with nine outs remaining.
- After Wofford's leadoff batter struck out on three pitches to begin the bottom of the ninth inning, the Terriers scored four runs on one hit to rally for the win.
- Nolen Hester, John Dempsey, and Ryan Galanie had two hits each for the Terriers.
Inside The Numbers
- Eight of UNCG's runs were scored with two outs.
- UNCG's pitching combined to strike out six batters.
- This was the sixth time this season that UNCG scored double-digit runs.
- This was the 23rd time this season that UNCG finished with double-digit hits.
- This was the third game in its last five that the Spartans have finished with at least 14 hits.
- This was Callahan's sixth multi-hit game of the season.
- Mitchell Smith had two walks to increase his team-leading total to 16.
- Cavenaugh has 13 multi-hit games this season.
- Every UNCG starter had at least one hit.
- This was the third time this season that Jones has finished with four RBIs (Appalachian State and N.C. State).
- The game featured six lead changes.
Up Next
- UNCG will host Wake Forest on Tuesday, April 12 at 6 p.m. at home. This game was originally scheduled for the Grasshoppers Stadium.
- This will be the second meeting against Wake Forest this season.
- The Spartans and Demon Deacons played each other on Feb. 22 in Winston-Salem.
Schedule Update
- UNCG will host Mercer beginning Thursday, April 14 at 6 p.m. The Spartans and Bears will battle on Friday, April 15 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m. The series was moved up a day because of Easter Sunday.
