GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team travels to Pittsburgh, Pennslyvaniato take on the Pitt Panthers in a three-games series from February 27-March 1 at Charles L. Cost Field. The first pitch on Friday is slated for 3:00 p.m., while the latter two games will begin at 1:00 p.m. 

 PITCHING MATCHUPS  

Friday, February 27 at 3 PM 

LHP Noah Chapman (UNCG) vs. RHP David Leslie (Pitt) 

Saturday, February 28 at 1 PM 

RHP JT Weaver (UNCG) vs. LHP Vincent Spizzoucco (Pitt)  

Sunday, March 1 at 1 PM 

RHP Hunter Shuey (UNCG) vs. RHP Drew Lafferty (Pitt)  

 LAST TIME OUT 

• The Spartans lost to No. 16 Wake Forest, 5-1, at UNCG Baseball Stadium Tuesday night.  

• Luke Jenkins led the way in hits with three knocks which is the most since April 4, 2025. 

• The freshmen trio of Ayden West, Cannon Lee and Ethan Nobles combined for five strikeouts, four hits, three walks and no runs in the final five innings. 

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS    

• The Spartans enter the series 4-5 overall. 

• UNCG swept Canisius the previous weekend, which is the first series sweep at UNCG Baseball Stadium since April 13, 2025.  

• The Spartans captured their first win of the 2026 season, taking down rival N.C. A&T, 4-3, on Feb. 18.   

• UNCG is nationally ranked in: triples (4th/5), doubles plays (26th/8) and stolen bases (50th/17). 

• Six freshmen made their collegiate debuts against No. 18 Kentucky on the opening weekend.    

• Freshmen pitchers this season have thrown 22.2 innings with only five earned runs allowed so far.   

• Jacob Dilley has been the Spartans' best batter, hitting .379 with 11 base knocks, five runs scored and four RBIs.   

• Freshman Thomas Hester recorded his first collegiate save against N.C. A&T on Wednesday with his one and two third innings pitched and four punch outs.   

• The Spartans were voted to finish fifth in The Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Coaches' Poll.    

• The Blue & Gold returns 20 players from last year's squad while adding 16 newcomers to the roster. Eleven of them are freshmen this year.    

• Samford claimed the top spot with four first-place votes and 45 points. Mercer was picked to finish second with 44 points and three first-place votes.     

• Junior left-handed pitcher Noah Chapman was named to the Preseason All-SoCon Second Team ahead of the season after throwing 68.1 innings with a 5.14 ERA in 21 appearances in 2025.     

• UNCG concluded the 2025 season with a 21-33 overall record and went 9-12 in SoCon play.     

• The Spartans boasted one of the better pitching staffs last season in the SoCon, if not in the nation, finishing 35th in shutouts (4), 52nd in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.27), 60th in strikeouts-per-nine innings (9.1) and 60th in walks allowed-per-nine innings (3.99).     

• Head Coach Cody Ellis enters his third season at the helm of the Spartans, guiding them to a 58-59 record during his time.     

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS 

• The Panthers enter the weekend home series 5-2, with most recently taking a decisive 18-3 win over Bucknell on Wednesday. 

•  AJ Nessler is batting .480 while slugging .840 with 21 total bases, 12 hits, 14 runs scored, six RBIs and two home runs so far this season.  

• Pitt is nationally ranked: on-base percentage (11th/.481), runs scored (17th/10.6) and batting average (33rd/ .320).  

• Vincent Spizzoucco leads the pitching staff with a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings of action so far this season.  

• The Panthers are led by Mike Bell, who in eight seasons has a 166-176 overall record.  
    

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE PANTHERS 
The Panthers lead the series 2-1, with the first and last meetings being a three-game series in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Feb. 28-March 2, 2025. UNCG took the final game of the series, 13-11.  

   
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UP NEXT    
The Spartans will return to action Wednesday, March 3, as they take on Greensboro rival North Carolina A&T at First National Bank Field at 5:00 p.m.